Run Little One, Run, I Will Still Catch You
by He will knock four times
Summary: After being taken to Romania for her father's archeological dig when she was five as far back as she can remember Seras has had an imaginary friend even after returning to England. Now 18 and fleeing for her life she knows that friend isn't imaginary.
1. Chapter 1

This is a story idea I had when I first sat down. I had three story plots that occurred to me and seeing as I already had 2 Naruto plot lines I decided I could only add one more story and that everything else would just have to be put on hold until later after a story was finished. So I picked the Hellsing story which I now call 'Submit to me' and wrote it. I decided I didn't want the other two ideas to fall into a black hole in my head and I also have major writers block. My trick to fix writers block is to write a completely different story, a one-shot will do, and it seems to do the trick nicely. I'll be able to write again. The reason I picked this particular plot line is that I was wondering that when I finish other stories if you guys would want me to continue this? The setting is in the 1700's. There is some major AU going on here with the fact that there will be no mina/bram stoker story going on. Dracula never goes to London to find mina. But if I keep talking ill give a spoiler. Just read and tell me what you think.

Full summery:

After being taken to Romania for her father's archeological dig when she was five as far back as she can remember Seras has had an imaginary friend with red eyes and black hair, even after returning to England. Now 18 and fleeing for her life she knows that friend isn't imaginary and he is after her.

One-shot. I will possibly continue.

-He will knock four times

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She ran fast and swiftly her buckskin clad feet thudding relentlessly on the dirt path before her. Tree trunks and bushes rustle past and she moved at frantic paces trying to flee the coming evil that had haunted her for the past year. Her form was hidden by a full length black cloak which the hood was lowered over her face and only her pale pink mouth could be seen with her pale skin surrounding it. The cloak was shabby, ragged and muddy, clear signs of long use and it was tattered with what looked to be blood stains. A clinking noise at her side revealed to be a long silver sheath of that of a silver cross sword. Her breath came in heaving gasps and cold shivers of sweat rolled off of her person. Her legs burned an ached at the exertion which she was placing herself under. Her tiny arms pumped back and forth as she forced herself to keep moving. Her lungs were fire and she felt compressed as she desperately heaved in air. Her mouth was dry and every part of her body was dry, tired, burning and exhausted with aching muscles. She had been running for two hours now and she was really starting to slow down now. Her body screamed for her stop but she pushed on in agreement with her mind which shrieked for her to keep fleeing, keep running, keep breathing and stay alive.

The moonless night around her had already caused her to trip twice costing her valuable time she had gained. Bushes she whipped past in her hurry cut into her skin and burned like wildfire. Suddenly when it seemed she could no longer run a chilling howl broke into the night that sent shivers down her spine and fearful tears to prick at her eyes. Abject desperation clawed its way into her weary soul and she felt more fear than she had felt in months. She knew who that howl belonged to. She forced herself to run faster. The howl had come from somewhere so close by, closer than the monster had gotten to her in months. Desperately the woman used the trees to help keep her going and propel her forward. Her mind screamed danger and death.

The foul beast had been pursuing her for a year now. She had escaped but he kept coming. Everywhere she would go, no matter what she did, no matter where she went or hid, no matter how many times she changed her name or covered her looks he came for her. He always came for her. He never stopped. He had vowed to never stop coming for her. And she always ran. Why did he haunt her so?

As if to mock her for her thoughts the monster spoke into her mind again, malice intertwined with amusement as he wrenched hope from her heart.

_Seras... Seras… Seras I'm coming for you. Why do you run? You know I will catch you anyways. I will get you. You are __**mine**__ Seras._

Tears of despair and terror started streaming down her face as she ran faster and no longer able to contain herself she shrieked while running. "**NO! LEAVE ME ALONE! Why won't you leave me alone? What do you **_**want**_** with me?**" There was no response to her cry other than the mocking laughter that resounded into her mind, laughter that was not her own and she heard a second howl it was even closer this time. He didn't need to howl, he just was doing it to torment her and let her know that he was that much closer to catching her.

Seras could barley see as it was because of the darkness of the night and the tears were not helping any, so wiping them away before she tripped a third time Seras continued to fly over the pebble strewn path.

Everything had gone all wrong. She had managed to evade him so far all this time. For once Seras had been sure she had managed to hide where he couldn't find her. How had he found her? She had been living in that town among the slums of the gypsy folk and had even bought and an elaborate costume to hide herself as a boy. She had convinced everyone that she was just a girly faced boy for a month. Seras considered her lucky that she had managed to be able to stay in one place for so long. Of course that all changed one night when she had heard the rumors of a man killed by being drained alive. She had fled the city on horseback that very night and he had followed close behind like always.

She had always been able to predict what he was coming and to run but he had managed to sneak up on her and now he was closer than he had been in months. That was three days ago and her horse had been killed during that night when he had actually gotten close enough to look her in the eye. Now she was on foot desperately fleeing the evil wraith that terrorized her life and had become part of the only three constant beings left in her life: Him, fear and the never ending running.

Just as it seemed her body could no longer transverse any more land and she heard the beast shout in triumph as he felt her exhaustion Seras burst into a clearing. Wild eyed and still running Seras spotted something that made hope swell within her. A church standing no more that fifty feet from her, a church, safety, a church with lights on. Running faster forwards putting every last ounce of speed she had on Seras flung herself forward. She smiled inwardly when she heard the angry snarling of the beast. He knew he wouldn't be able to get her in there. Finally reaching the oak doors Seras raised both black cloaked arms and made firm fists. Smashing them over the door again and again she desperately screamed

"Sanctuary!" Her voice was shrieking the word and she pleaded again continuously hitting the door frantically. He please for help was disrupted by her gasps of breath but she forced herself to cry loudly her need. "For gods sakes I seek sanctuary! Please! I need asylum! Anyone! Someone! I seek sanctuary within the church! If anyone has an ounce of mercy I need sanctuary!" her fists her getting heavily bruised as she massed them against the weathered oak doors again and again. She heard him closer than before. Her tears streamed faster. Why wasn't anyone coming? Couldn't they hear her screaming for help?

Seras heard footsteps coming from within the church and she felt relief. She was saved. At least that what she thought until she heard another howl. She heard him closer than before. She could hear his padding feet. Desperately looking behind her she saw the wolverine beast shoot straight into the clearing jet black fur bristled and monstrous openmouthed jaws that looked like a grin. Seras screamed in terror as the creature ran forwards towards its prize all six burning ruby iridescent auburn eyes fixed on her. More frantic than before she beat her hands on the door again and sobbed tears of panic and despair "Sanctuary! Please in the name that all is righteous I seek sanctuary!"

The monster just laughed at her helplessness as he padded forward and triumphantly proclaimed into her head, a gleeful note to it:

_I've found you little one. __MINE!_

"**NO!**" Seras screamed in reply and she started crying again. He laughed and a gleeful _**YES**_ in reply. Seras pounded all the harder on the door as her vision was blocked by hot tears and she sobbed out her pleas for sanctuary. Her knuckles were starting to bleed and her hands were sore and purple from her abuse on the wood frame before her. Time seemed to slow down for Seras in that moment of fear and desperation with the maddened demon running at her.

The aberration was fifty feet away its mouth open in a mock version of a grin, tongue lolling. Seras could hear the locks on the wooden door being unlocked.

The livid wolf was forty feet away and it growled that help was coming for the girl. The door was being opened much to slow for Seras as she listened to the man tell her to stop screaming.

The monster was getting enraged at his prize getting away. He was only thirty feet away. Seras was urgently wrenching the door open tears streaking down her small beautiful face staining it.

The monster was twenty feet away and started going faster. Seras immediately flung herself to the cold stone floor within the church shuddering for air.

The monster was fifteen feet away and snarling angrily. The priest tried to see what all the fuss was about and Seras began frantically screaming for the male priest to close the door.

The monster was ten feet away. So close. The priest saw the charging wolf; his eyes widened and he was pulling the door closed panic on his face.

Five feet and the massive doors were past halfway closed. The wolf howled in triumph thinking it would be open enough and Seras cried out in hopelessness.

Monster was three feet away. The oak door was almost closed with just a small sliver left as the priest pulled harder.

One. A great crash as the beast bashed into the now closed doors and the wooden post was put back into place locking the door.

A great snarling was heard as the door creaked under the great beast's weight. Displeasure at loosing his pray was clear and he smashed into the door again and again. It went on for minutes until the sky shining through the windows started lightening. Dawn was coming fast. The banging stopped. Finally all seemed quiet.

Seras then heard his voice in her head again, his tone was displeased. _You have escaped me for now little one but remember that you are __**mine**__ Seras Victoria. You belong to me. You will always belong to me. I will catch you. You are _mine_. Never forget that. _**MINE**_. _With that final darkened tone in his voice having delivered his warning, his self-proclaimed decree, the monsters voice faded away.

Safe. She was… safe now? Seras couldn't believe it but for the first time in months she was truly safe. For now. She had escaped. Despite being slower, weaker, limited in her kind; despite being human she had escaped.

It was no sooner than that then finally the stresses of three days of whirling emotions, desperation, desolation, exhaustion, pain, fear and constant running took over and Seras fainted. Her short blonde hair spilling out of the blackened hood she wore. Blessed blackness taking over her Seras heard his voice ring through her mind again as he spoke with that possessive tone of his.

_**Mine.**_


	2. Chapter 2

As always when I get writers block I need a good distraction. Something fast paced and new to break up some monotony. I know it seems rather soon to have writers block again but I feel sleepy this morning and writing on the same Hellsing story seems to be all I have been doing these days. I haven't even bothered to try and continue my Naruto fanfictions. Shame on me for that. So I thought since the last chapter successfully cured me of writers block, a new one would cure me of this latest bought of the sickness that afflicts all writers. People have also been asking me to continue this lot. So… why not?

A word of warning to people who are not used to my style of formatting stories. Usually I always have inner thoughts or flashbacks to be in italics. The next few chapters are going to be in italics. I will tell you when everything returns to the 'present' part of the story, when we get to the part of Seras in the present. Okay? The only thing I really have to warn you to avoid confusion is that the first couple of paragraphs is not part of the past but will lead up to the flashbacks. When the flash back begins I will have this symbol: (*) there.

So without further ado, say hello to "Run Little One, Run, I Will Still Catch You" chapter two.

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Her mind was drifting under a heavy wave she couldn't move in. her eyes felt like a boulder stacked on her eyelids, far too heavy to allow her to open her eyes. Her limbs leaden and it felt as if they were not her own, not a part of her body. Separate from her. She felt so heavy. Oh but she felt so warm. So incredibly warm. Why was it so warm and comfortable? It was soft too. So wonderfully soft. It smelled like mothers beautiful chestnut brown hair. Smelled of freshly baked bread and pine trees. It was soft. Wherever she was lying down in her unconsciousness. She knew for certain she was dreaming up the soft warm blankets that surrounded her.

Oh how long had it been since she had lain down to rest for so long in a soft bed? She didn't know. Her life had been a blur of motion for a year now. She had no proper existence in her mind. It was always a constant forward motion. Constantly running and forever afraid. Never unpacking her things but keeping them in a small lightweight bag she could grab on a moments notice and continue running once again. She couldn't remember the last time she had changed her clothing or got a dress on. Always needing to move fast and forever.

Running for eternity. Always fearing. Always being found. Always fleeing. Whenever shed stop she'd feel restless. Her body expected to keep going. To keep going and going and going until she left the continent of Europe to a new continent, one that was safe. And then he would find her again and once more off she would go. Always on the move, always escaping. She would run until she found an underground hole, one that was free of monsters and laughing hellhounds. And he would find her again and run some more she would. Always fearing and practicing her swordsmanship, always running away anyway. She would dash away until she found a tower that extended into the heavens, one that always had sunshine and safety. And he would find her once again. More running. She would run until she left the planet behind her and she hid amongst the stars, a heaven where he couldn't harm her and she could stop running.

Maybe then he wouldn't find her. But she knew better. It was wishful thinking. He always found her. He always came after her. As long as she was alive he was always coming. She feared the day she would lay down and get so tired or moving she would just lay there. Lay where she had dropped forever. Then he would catch her. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be caught. Then she could sleep with both eyes closed for once and no knife under her pillow and a spare dagger in her still boot covered feet. Of course considering what Seras thought the beast wanted with her Seras would finally get to rest… Forever.

Her soul called for no more running. She was so… weary. Fatigued in mind and drained in spirit. Tired in body and Somnolent in breath and wiped out in will. Every aspect of her being was weary. Even her ability to fear was weak because of its overuse. Her feet were sapped. Her legs were dog-tired. Her heart was exhausted. Her toes were weary. Her shoes were weary. She was just… tired and weary. She didn't feel alive. And why should she? She wasn't a human being anymore. Hadn't felt like one for nearly two years now. She was motion. She was an object that constantly fell sideways across the land. She was a tiny planet that skimmed the soft soil of the earth, gravitating with a monster over the earth. A monster that wanted to eclipse her, capture her and blot out her light. Blot it out either by death or some other purpose.

So… tired and yet her body wanted to keep moving. It expected to keep moving… it screamed to keep moving. Yet it wanted to stay still for once.

She wasn't concerned in the slightest about where she laid. After all she so frequently woke up in a new place that it became a strange feeling when she managed to stay longer than a day and wake up to the same setting as the day before.

She began to dream or happy fantasies that seemed like a millennia ago. And a unnatural millennia from before that. And two peculiar centuries before that. And three even longer anomalous decades from before that. And five even stranger years from the madcap hours and daft minutes before that. And ten truly extended chaotic seconds from before all of those times from the strange past that seemed like bizarre fiction from before that. A fiction that was even stranger than the truth. Most likely because the fiction she couldn't believe in really was the truth. And the true truth off seras's past to her was always more outlandish than the wildest of imaginary tales and lies ever thought up.

Her past didn't feel real. It felt like the time from before time. It was the days of stillness. These were the days of motion. Brief images of hazy memories flickered through her tired drained mind reigning mayhem on her already weary mind. She was so tired and asleep, yet so awake. Her past flickered in front of her eyes taunting her with happy memories that once were a part of her life now vacant and vanquished, in a land far, far away, in a time so very different and so very long ago.

_A little girl in a white dress with flaxen gold spun hair that shown in the afternoon light, she ran giggling all the while. She was five and happy as could be. Her skin was a vibrant pink and the tiny body ran as she stuffed a fist into her giggling mouth, trying not to give away her location. She ran with her white frilly dress flying up to reveal tiny black knee high boots that were laced all the way to the top and she stomped down into the soft spring grass carrying her daisy flowers. Her dress was blindingly white with little ribbons and frills everywhere. Mommy had made it for her special and gave it to her that morning. She said daddy had something important happen to him at work and they were going to celebrate. A flower daisy crown she had made herself adorned her hair which was long and down to just below her shoulders._

_Like all young children as long as she had a friend to play games with she had everything she could ever want. _

_Running up to a large camellia bush she ducked behind it peeking out occasionally, excited sky blue eyes impishly looking for her friend. She stifled her tiny giggles when she heard her friend coming. She glanced around the large year surrounded by a wrought iron fence with sharp gothic spikes sticking up. Everything was so large. The roses were beautiful today. The clouds were white and fluffy. The garden was in the back behind the house was an entire two acres according to mommy. Tiny hands fell on the little golden haired girls shoulder and she looked behind her at Mary's triumphant expression._

"_I caught you Seras which means: you are it." Both girls giggled. Seras was about to run off to go count when she heard her mother calling._

"_Seras! Seras! Come inside! Your father has something he wants to say." Both girls looked at each other before a fit of giggles erupted again. Seras waved goodbye as Mary ran off to the gate so she could go next door where her mommy would be waiting. Seras ran past the camellia bush up the steps. Home was a big white house that had three floors and an attic. Home had a big garden filled with all sorts of flowers her mommy loved._

_Reaching the steps Seras slowed down and raised her legs high, trying to climb the steps. Reaching the third step she ran over to her mommy whose arms were already open waiting for a hug. Seras loved her mommy's brown, brown hair. It always smelled like the kitchen where she spent time with her friend, Cookie. Cookie was really called Rose but Seras called her cookie._

"_Did you have fun with Mary?" mommy asked._

"_Yes mommy! We played princesses and ogres. I was the princess and Mary was the ogre until she caught me. Next time I'm going to be the ogre and Mary is going to be the princess and hide." Her mommy smiled widely and took Seras's hand._

_Remembering something Seras held out the flowers to her mommy. Her tiny voice squeaked out. "Look mommy! I got daisies for you! Aren't they pretty?"_

_Seras's mommy took the flowers and said "thank you Seras." Seras beamed before her mother said something that made her run inside. "Your fathers home."_

_Yelling in excitement Seras ran into the house her hair and the bottom of her dress bouncing with her. She ran up the stairs as fast as her tiny legs could carry her. The excitement she made yells in preceded her in everything. "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"_

_She made it to the study and the door was ajar, waiting for her to step through. She ran into the room eagerly and veered to the desk chair where a blond short haired man sat waiting. She ran up and climbed into his lap. Her daddy chuckled and gave her a hug._

"_How is my little princess doing?" nuzzling her face. She squealed in surprise and tried hard to get off of her daddy's lap. _

"_No daddy! Your beard! It tickles!" but she couldn't speak as peals of laughter came from her as he continued to tickle her with his thick beard. Finally he stopped tickling her and laughed himself._

"_Daddy! Did you go and see the pie-ra-mides?" she eagerly asked stumbling over the strange word. Daddy didn't come home till late often because of works and sometimes mommy said that his job would send him off to places far away. This time Daddy had said he was going to go to a place called e-gip-t-huh and see some old graves that daddy's work liked to go a see. Now he was back! She couldn't wait to play jump rope with him like he promised he would._

_Her daddy grinned. "You mean 'pyramids'? Yes I saw plenty of those, princess. You want to know something even better?" Seras nodded eagerly, practically jumping in excitement. "I have a new trip to make, somewhere far away."_

_The smile slid off of her face. Her daddy just got home and he was going to leave. Seras was just about to cry when her daddy said something wonderful. "I would like you to come with me! I have asked my boss and he sees no problem why you shouldn't be able to come with." Her head shot up and she smiled eagerly._

"_Really? Thank you daddy! Id love to go! Where are we going? When? When?" she asked fast and eagerly. She was jumping up and down in excitement. _

_Her daddy laughed and said "four days from now. Everything has been set up and your mother allows it. As for where…"_

_Her father leaned in and smiled. "It's a place I've asked permission to study many times and until now have never gotten permission to look at because of superstitions surrounding the place and the natives there. It's a castle princess." At the word castle Seras's eyes lit up eagerly._

"_Like fairy tales?" she asked innocently. _

"_No, even better. Because this castle is real and both you and daddy get to go inside."_

_Seras was confused. Every castle she had ever been told about happened in a mystical kingdom with princesses, knights, dragons and wizards. What kind of castle existed in a place everyone had heard about? "Then where are we going daddy?"_

_He father smiled and said simply, "To Castle Bran on the Carpathian Mountains in Romania."_

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There you have it. I tried to write the flash back in seras point of view when she was a child. I would have gone into a length description in both chapters for this story but I factored in an important fact for both stories that made me not describe things so far. For chapter one seras is frantically running for her life and doesn't have time to take in the scenery. For this chapter seras is a little child and children almost never pay attention. So although it nearly killed me to do so, I left out a lot of stuff. It's done and I think I can get back to writing in my regular standards. Till the next time I get writers block and write a short chapter.

-He will knock four times


	3. Chapter 3

You know how I said the next couple chapters would be flashbacks? Well there comes a time when a person has to eat their words. Instead there will be various flashbacks in intervals along the whole way of the story until we find out everything that has happened. Yet again I am at writing this story and yet again I find myself with major writers block as I butt heads with my muse over how to write "Submit to me". So as always my solution is a distraction and a different story to bitch slap my lazy ass self awake and into action. I had wanted to write this story as a major one that I would continuously updated for the sole purpose of writing it but sadly it seems I'm only using my poor little story as a way to defeat that which vexes all writers.

XxXxXxX

Her mind drifted again and she felt the horrible dreams of the past float away. She was waking up and she tried to stay asleep. She wanted to sleep. If she woke up she would have to start moving again and the running would continue. What was that? She heard noises. … Oh… people. People were speaking. They were voices not noises but she couldn't understand them. It felt like listening to the world from under water. Her mind drifted blissfully even though she was struggling to stay asleep.

She squeezed her eyes shut tighter to try to stay asleep but she could feel herself waking up. She nearly succeeded but felt sunlight hit her eyelids and it dazzled her from behind. She sighed tiredly giving it up as a lost cause and opened her eyes. Light flooded them and she winced at the sudden burn of light that flooded her eye sockets and blinked rapidly trying to ignore the white spots that were speckling in her vision. She suddenly had the strange sensation that she had been dreaming minutes earlier but she couldn't remember what it was.

She concentrated but every time she tried to remember it was like it slipped away faster than before. Something about ogres, princesses, hiding and then her father… she frowned. Ever since that day her thoughts of her father had always brought up the bad memories. Even now she could see the horrifying images, there in the back of her mind taunting her. She forcefully shoved back on then but got another eyeful of sunlight.

She rubbed her eyes and when her vision cleared she gazed at the Spartan room around her in confusion. It didn't look like a hotel. Maybe a stone hovel she had taken refuge in? Where was she? She couldn't remember where this place was or how she had gotten to it. The walls were a white stone and a thatched hay roof. There was one window right next to the ceiling which explained all the sunlight trying to blind her. In the corner there was a simple wooden wardrobe where clothing looked like it could be kept. Next to her bed was a small oil lamp on top of a simple wooden table that had looked like it had been recently made?

She looked at the bed and noticed the white linens and then regretfully noticed how warm it would be and then how terrible it would feel to leave the warm soft bed. Her eyes wandered father. She didn't care where she was at the moment but she couldn't stay. She had to keep going or _he_ would find her soon. She couldn't remember last night at all but she wasn't staying. She wasn't safe anywhere or even here, wherever 'here' was. Her eyes looked around and she was disturbed at the idea that she couldn't see her bag or sword. She looked down at herself and found that she wasn't wearing her usual clothing. It was a pure white woolen dress. She shifted her legs and winced at the slight stiffness and burn in them that she attributed to laying still to long.

Her eyes widened. She threw the covers off of herself and stared in horror at her bare feet that were wrapped in bandages. No silver knife. Her boots gone. Turning around quickly she ignored the slight twinge of pain from her back as she scrabbled under her pillow for the silver dagger that she knew must have been there. She threw the pillow off in a panic before looking fearfully around her. Gone. Both knifes gone. Her leather boots gone. Her bag of provisions gone. She was wearing different clothing. She was in a strange place with no memory of where she was. She was also wrapped in bandages and couldn't remember getting hurt at all. Her body was aching. Dread set in like a cold blanket.

Her eyes set on the door fearfully. Had she been captured by someone? Or had she been captured by _HIM_ and just didn't remember it? Hesitantly she moved her feet over- and fell onto the bed with her mouth clamped shut. She stifled the scream of pain as agony lanced through her and her body protested movement. She was on fire! Suffering lanced through her body and she writhed with angry bolts of pain surging though her. Her feet felt wet with some hot liquid she couldn't see as her vision blackened slightly. Someone was burning her and her legs felt like they were seizing. She forced herself to still and mercifully the pain melted away slowly. She laid there for several minutes gasping for air and forcing herself to keep still.

Finally the pain had faded completely and she decided to not move her legs and to examine herself.

She moved her arms and felt as if they were being held down and tightened. More pain came from her arms. What was going on? Her thoughts were hazy and muddled from the torture of moving from only a minute ago. One horrible truth occurred to her. She couldn't leave. Not yet anyways. She couldn't even lift her feet out of bed with the unexplained pain disabling her. How had she gotten injured? She couldn't remember anything. And the people she could hear beyond the door. Weren't they going to talk to her? Slowly she raised her arm and stared at her hand. It was bandaged and she could see red staining the white linen. How had she hurt her hand? Why couldn't she remember anything?

Her eyes traveled farther up from her bandaged fist and saw more bandages covering her arm and she brought her arm closer. Slowly raising her other fist she realized that she were in the same condition as the first fist. Bandaged and she could feel numbness coming from both of them with more than a little soreness. What the hell had happened to her? She was really starting to panic and the confusion of her situation wasn't helping. It didn't help matters at the knowledge that she was helpless and couldn't move. She felt weak and rested at the same time like she still hadn't gotten enough sleep but she couldn't at the moment.

How long had she been here? Not that she thought of it she felt hungry and very thirsty. She tried to speak but all that came out was a hoarse moan. She tried again with little success. Her throat was so dry and it felt like she hadn't spoken in ages. She could feel her cracked lips and knew immediately if she tried to smile they would bleed. It was fine with her; she hadn't felt like smiling in months. She lay back down and moved her arms to her side, regretting moving them in the first place as they were now throbbing angrily.

Listlessly she laid there and dryly thought about the annoyance of her situation. Amnesia? Check. Paralyzed? Close enough. Mute? Effectively so. Weaponless? Absolutely. _Way to go Seras! You've really outdone yourself this time._ She thought sarcastically. _What's next? Blindness? Now all we need to do to complete the equation is nightfall and a visit from HIM while paralyzed. _

She frowned and couldn't help the hiss that escaped her lips as the theory of what would happened if her lips stretched proved to be true. She didn't care. She had bigger problems to think over. She couldn't stay here but she couldn't leave much less move around. So she was paralyzed until she healed and she didn't know how long it would be until he grew bored of waiting outside before he decided to break the rules of their little game. After all he did say if he grew bored he would end it. The memory flashed in her mind along with the fear that always came with it.

_The tears streamed down her face uncontrollably as she stared horror struck. Gone, gone. All of them. Every single person she knew. It was like everything she knew was wrong. She was the only thing left now. Her father laid on the steps his eyes gouged out and a sword run through his chest. Her mother on the bottom of the stair well her head cracked with blood coming out and her beautiful face bleeding and broken. Her parents. Oh god! They were gone! She backed up against the door in fear and pain. She stared for a moment longer before she turned and fled the room. She couldn't bear to look any longer. She had to go for help. Her hands gripped her blue dresses skirt as she dashed for the kitchens and ran through._

_Her feet met the marble and she skid several feet on something wet and thick before falling to the floor. She couldn't speak as she looked at the kitchen in ruins. Pots torn about the placed and knifes covered in blood everywhere. The night's meal splattered all over the floor. She managed to get back her voice for a moment. Fearfully she called out for the woman who was like an aunt. "Cookie? Answer me! Please!" her voice echoed slightly and no one but her own echo answered her. She pushed her self up and looked down at the wet substance. She screamed and jumped up turning around only to trip over something and fell into another puddle of the thick black liquid. _

_Blood. She was soaked in blood. It was everywhere. Everywhere she looked. Everywhere she touch. Everywhere she smelled. The walls, the sinks, the floors, her dress and her long hair from falling down. She looked back at what she had tripped over and scooted herself over to the wall sobbing uncontrollably. She rocked herself unable to understand what was going on. She tore at her hair madly. Cookie laid there with her own kitchen knife in her chest, her throat torn out garishly and her own blood soaking the floors and her dress. The look of horror on her face tormenting Seras. _

_Cookie, mother, father; they were gone. All of them. Wait… all of them? Hope swelled in her and she forced herself up onto her shaking legs as she trembled in fear. James! She took a few steps trying to stop the shaking of her legs. She to a few more and felt she could control herself better. She made it to the door and fled the macabre kitchen. She ran for the stairwell and sobbed as she stepped over her mother's dead body. She shakily climbed the steps._

_Screaming his name she ran to the top nearly tripping over her dead father's body. "JAMES! Answer me! JAMES! Please don't be dead!"she ran past her fathers body and turned left frantically looking for him. She could feel the engagement band on her finger covered in blood like some ominous omen. This couldn't be happening. She heard a hoarse groaning coming from ahead of her. It sent chills up her spine and she stopped short. It didn't sound like James but it didn't sound like a man either. It didn't even sound human._

_Hesitantly she called out. "James? James, answer me!" she stepped forward some more. "James?" she whispered fearfully._

_She stepped forwards and approached the doorway only to be greeted by the sight of more blood s drenching the floor in a new color. She heard the horse groaning and looked at the floor. Another shocked cry flew from her lips as she stared transfixed on the horrifying loss before her. _

_Gone._

_Dead._

_**All**__ of them. It wasn't James but it wasn't good news either. More tears pooled, staining her face as they ran down her cheeks. She felt sickened by the sights before her but she couldn't look away. Her legs gave out from under her and she just stared numbly drenched in blood that was beginning to matt her hair._

_**Everyone. **_

_**Everyone.**_

_Whoever… whatever had done this had killed __**everyone**__. She stared at the pile of bodies before her frozen with grief and shock. All the servants killed and piled on each other like trash thrown out. Jack the stable man who had taught her to ride horses with his arms missing. There was Bella, covered in blood with her mouth open in the silent scream she would never finish and her cross jammed into her chest. What was even worse was that all of them had strange gashes in them like they had been bitten. _Oh god_… she sobbed harder. Why oh why was she still left? Why couldn't she have been killed too? She still couldn't take her eyes away from the scene and she kept recognizing faces. Anna, Ophelia, Jasper and even Gabriel._

_There was Elizabeth and her sister Alice, Cookies helpers, with great holes in their stomachs piled onto… her breath caught in her throat. They were piled on top of little Ben! She gripped her head and wailed in tears and anguish. Not Ben… never Ben. He was only nine years old. Little Ben that loved going out and getting her flowers from the garden. Little Ben that smiled all the time and always begged to play with her. Little orphan Ben her parents had taken in when no one else would. He was dead but he alone was the only one who looked as if he hadn't been tortured before he was killed. _

_**He had wanted to be a doctor**__ she madly thought and for no reason at all that she could think of; she began to laugh obscenely loudly. Her whole world had been slaughtered and she sat with her hands on her head laughing. Even to her ears the laughter sounded mad and tortured. It felt good and she laughed some more and until her laughing subsided into whimpers. She lay down and just stared at anything but the pile of death and gore. She slowly drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself tightly; James forgotten._

_She gazed sightlessly at the wall trying hear, see and feel nothing. Because that's what it was about. Absolutely nothing. Everything was absolutely nothing now. People. The sense of security she no longer felt in her home. The ability to smile gone. Home was where the heart was and her home had been killed. She was lost, a drifting planet. This wasn't a dream and she knew it. No dream was realistic as this. No even the visions HE gave her. She would go to sleep tomorrow and they would be dead and she would have this gaping hole that was the space her family once occupied. _

_She would sleep the day after that and they would still be dead. _

_And the day after that. _

_And the day after that._

_And the day after that._

_Still dead. Still gone._

_Every time she woke up._

_Every time she opened her eyes._

_Every time she turned around to look behind her for their faces._

_Every time she longed to hear their voices._

_Everyone. _

_Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. gone. _

_Empty. Empty. Empty. Empty. Empty. _

_Absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing._

_As she laid there in pain and the tears staining her face red and puffy she had thought she had seen the last of the horror. She couldn't have been more wrong. She heard it then from right in front of her. That groaning noise but now it was more of a low moan that sent chills up her spine and made her want to run and never look back. Slowly she used her arm to raise herself from the floor and looked at the pile of bodies. She heard it again and then it began. They raised themselves up. She stared as the dead stood up. She stared as the people she had been mourning over came to life._

_They weren't dead? "Anna? Gabriel?" they were just playing a terrible joke? Now she was mad. She stood up in a huff ready to scream at them when she saw it. They turned to her fully raised from the floor and she looked to their eyes. She screamed. Mother of god. Their eyes. Their dreadful empty eyes. The eyes were glowing purple orbs and their skin was ashen and fetid as if they had been left out to rot in the sun._

"_Ophelia? Jasper? Hey! Don't play that game with me." she was shaking now. How much more of this could she take? They began walking towards her, but shuffling and dragging their feet was more accurate and Seras saw trails of drag marks being made in the bloodied floor. She back away slowly. "It's me! Its kitten, remember?"_

_They didn't even take notice of her nickname and just shambled forward and jack who was closets opened his jaws wide lunging for her. She screamed at the sight of the feral set of razor teeth and turned around running down the hall. She reached a fork and looked up only to see HIM standing there. She ran forward to him as fast as she could, and he was starting to make that grin that always made butterflies erupt in her stomach. He looked the same as always. Long black hair and red eyes with pale skin. She knew he wasn't safe to humans but with him she had always felt safe. She heard the moans of those… things and ran faster. He held his arms open and she ran into him, he wrapped his arms around her as she leaned into him sobbing._

_She clutched at his black vest and white dress shirt, burying her face into his chest crying. He reached out and stroked her hair softly and while he said nothing Seras didn't mind. What could he say? He was here like he promised he would be if she needed him and that was enough. Those horrible things were still there but she was safe. Soon her tears died down to sniffles. His hands stopped twirling her hair and he pulled her away from him to gaze at her blood soaked dress. Seras didn't like the pleased look on his face and there was some flicker of something else there she wasn't sure she had noticed there. His deep baritone reached her ears._

"_I must say Seras; I like you better in the color red. You should wear it more often." Her breath caught in anger. Didn't he realize why she was soaked in blood? Didn't he realize what had happened? His gaze sharpened as he caught her thoughts. He leaned in taking her hand firmly into his own and his eyes roamed her body urgently in worry. "Are you unhurt?" _

_Her anger faded and she hesitated unsure herself. She had been so focused on remaining emotionally numb and failing so badly she hadn't noticed if she was injured. She looked at herself and shook her head, still uncertain. He clucked his tongue at her still hearing her thoughts. He always said she thought to loudly. "Yes you do, and I must say to lie is a terrible habit my dear, but thankfully you are undamaged. Now come we have to leave." This time she shook her head profusely._

"_James…" she said weakly wincing at the angry look on his face. She knew he had always hated James but he never told her why. She had seen his rage when he came that night and saw her engagement ring on her finger._

"_Is dead dear." She gasped and she saw him glaring at the small silver diamond band on her finger with something between disgust and hate. _

"_How do you know?" She asked as she felt the weight of another loss settle within her. He looked up and grinned widely looking very satisfied._

"_Because I was the one who did it." What? She stood there trying to comprehend his words. HE had done this? He had killed her entire family? Everyone? The man who had been to her at first imaginary friend and guardian from the monsters in her closet. She had thought him imaginary until she was seven and realized he really was real. He constant friend had taken her family from her? Her breathing sped up in hurt and betrayal and with a little more than a bit of fear. He caught her thoughts and that angry glint of hate came into his scarlet eyes. He leaned down to whisper in her ear and felt his hot breath on her neck and she shivered._

"_Understand Seras that they had formed a little arranged marriage between something that is mine and that cowardly human who begged me to spare him. I showed myself several times and warned them, did I not? I showed them what could and would happen to them if they tried to take you from me and what did they do? They ignored me. My display at dinner two nights ago apparently wasn't satisfying enough for them when they began to talk about wedding plans between you and him. Then yesterday morning my warning went ignored again when they hired a monster hunter to 'exorcise evil' and to make my entrance impossible." Here she heard his voice begin to sneer and his voice made an angry growling noise. _

"_It didn't work. I had told them that you were mine, that you belonged to me and they did not listen. Then when they decided to move the date of the marriage up to tomorrow morning so that I could not stop it. In return, I had decided I had given those pathetic humans enough chances and mercy and came to remove the problem. I showed mercy to them so many times when it would have been so simple to kill them all. They brought this upon themselves by ignoring my warnings."_

_She stood there unmoving still trying to take in everything and understand. Finally she managed to find her voice but even then it came out as little more than a whisper, her face more than hurt. "They were my family... My friends. You killed them. James…Cookie… Even little Ben. Everyone. Why everyone?" She felt his arms snapped around her waist possessively and he pulled her up to his chest gazing down at her with a serious expression that seemed almost regretful._

"_Seras, I did not kill Ben. I had been attacking that Ophelia wench that threatened you when she grabbed the child and held him up in from of her face while I was attacking. My hand was moving and I could not stop in time. Believe me when I say in all the things I would do that are considered monstrous that I would never attack a child." Seras thought she should have been shocked that such a thing had happened but she wasn't. Ophelia had always been greedy and cruel. _

_Seras didn't know if she could trust him though. Even if he was lying or telling the truth it didn't matter to her. Her whole family. Her whole life. Gone… because of him. What if he wanted to kill her too? Reality came on fast and her emotions snapped back into place, her desire for numbness gone. _

_She struggled to raise her arms and managed to get them up somewhat but his hold on her pinned her arms to her side so she began trying to pull out of his grasp. Fear welled up even higher and anger at him. She hated being afraid and when she was scared she got angry She jerked and kicked her feet out and he just watched as she struggled in uselessly in his arms. She couldn't get out of his grip and the tears streamed down her face in pain of this betrayal at his hand. _

_What angered her more was that she didn't even feel hatred towards him for this. Did her parents mean so little to her that she didn't hate their killer? She was being held in his arms instead. What was wrong with her? Did she have no feelings for her mother or father, or anyone? Was that why she felt no hate but just anger at what he had done? She couldn't even think of him as a monster even now after what he had done to her, to her family. To her HE was still just HIM. _

_The self proclaimed monster that keeps the other monsters in her closet and the shadows under her bed away from when she was a child of seven. She would tell he all about her life and he would encourage her to break mommy's rules about leaving the house at night to come walk with him in the woods at ten and they would play. Then the protector of her when she was a naïve teenager and men had tried to kidnap her at age fourteen. Then the best friend and confident of all her secrets at night when he would come visit at sixteen. Now he was the angry possessive man who would let no one near her at eighteen._

"_LET GO OF ME YOU BASTARD!" She screamed enraged and she pounded against his chest angrily. She was mildly shocked at herself for a moment because she didn't even know she knew that word. He just continued to watch as she struggled with an impassive expression, as if he had expected this reaction. She managed to kick and writhe vainly against his iron arms angrily for six more minutes before she collapsed limply against him completely exhausted. She gasped in air panting, her hair coated in now completely dried blood and now sweat, her legs sagged in fatigue that would have given out under her had he not been holding her up. _

_Still keeping her trapped with one arm he raised his other hand and firmly tilted her head back keeping her chin between his forefinger and thumb "Are you done?" he smoothly asked as he stared intently at her panting face. She glared but was to breathless to respond. He leaned in to her neck and her heart sped up in panic as she realized what he was going to go. He breathed in and she heard him make a growl of appreciation at the scent mixed with fear and blood. He was going to kill her! He stopped hearing this thought and leaned back frowning. "You think I would hurt you?" He moved his hand to her face and she flinched. The frown deepened. "That I would strike you?"_

_Yes was her answer. He had killed her family. Why wouldn't he want to kill the entire residence? She didn't understand him anymore. Kill them but keep her alive? Why was he keeping her alive? Was it just to have someone left to torment? He was going to kill her sooner or later, she knew it. But if that was so what did he want from her in the mean time? She didn't understand what he wanted from her. She had thought she understood him a little but now she didn't know him so well. His frown deepened and he leaned in once more so that his lips were a hairsbreadth from her pink ones. _

_His hand trailed down to rest on her lower back but didn't move to any places that would violate her. His grip on her tightened and impossibly he managed to hold her closer still until they were completely flush with each other and she couldn't hold in the blush on her face when his hips were crushed against her own. She tried shifting to gain some space and the only result was her moving her hips against his for a moment. Oh! The butterflies were back but she was feeling oddly hot in her lower stomach as well and she didn't know why. He smirked slightly seeing the effect he was having on her. _

"_Seras", he breathed on her lips, "I would never hurt you physically or kill you. Occasionally torment you emotionally surely," his eyes slid past her over to a doorway she couldn't see because of her position. "Eliminate obstacle and decimate anything that would dare speak of hurting you." his vice was filled with hate and rage as he continued to stare at the same doorway she knew was there but couldn't see. Before she had known what was happening their positions changed. She was turned around so she could see what he was looking at what he saw but his arms were still gripped around her like she was clasped in irons. She looked before her and cried out._

"_James?" his eyes gouged out still hanging like flesh. His mouth open with blood dripping from it. If her legs weren't already so weak Seras would have fallen over. His legs were missing at the knees and his arms missing. He had some sort of spike running through him that came out his mouth and she felt the need to empty her stomach. Yet she had nothing in her to let out so she just stood there trapped feeling sick. She wanted to cry but she couldn't feel any more tears, they had all dried out and except for the anger and the fear she felt empty. Gone…_

_She felt him grab her hand and raise it up to his face as he spoke once again. "Yes, gone. I will allow no other to have you Seras. Do not bother to spare tears for him. The filth actually tried to offer your life in his worthless stead." his disgust and rage was clear in his voice. She stiffened. He would not do this would he? He wouldn't make up lies just to taint his memory?_

"_I assure you dear that I am not lying. Did I not say it was a terrible habit? When I came for the one that presumed to claim what was mine he threw himself at my feet like a coward and begged me to spare him. When it became clear to him that I would not spare him or show pity he begged me to spare him if I took your life away in exchange. He even offered to find you and kill you for me. For that he suffered."_

_James would never… He wouldn't… He wouldn't do such a thing…Would he? She had always thought him sweet and kind but sometimes she had seen some small streak in him that had been scary to her. The tears that she had thought dried out managed to squeeze out a few more. She didn't want to believe him but he had never once lied to her before. _

"_Yes, it hurts, I know, but I am here like I always have been." He crooned in her ear and she felt sickened by the sense of relief that rushed through her. Did her parents really mean so little to her? "Do not mourn for that piece of filth Seras because he would have shown you no mercy." She sobbed. James had really offered to kill her in return for his own life, hadn't he? He had never loved her; he had just wanted her body like every other man she ever encountered. She had no one now. Everyone is dead and everyone that remained had betrayed her and was also dead._

_He was holding her tight to him once more breathing in her scent. "You have me and that should be all you need dear." _

_No. she refused. He had taken them away. Was he insane? He actually expected her to stay with him after this? He was planning to kill her or do something horrible to her. Once more he clucked his tongue and scolded her. "I thought I had told you that I would never harm you. Distrust does not make for a good relationship."_

_The strain of her situation was beginning to show itself. Terror, anger, loss, pain, grief, shock, exhaustion, fatigue, horror, two betrayals and confusion were bending her up inside into little confusing knots and she didn't know where to turn or look next, or even what to do. But her nerves snapped at that last word._

_She raised her foot up and managed somehow despite his superior height to kick him in that spot right between the legs that made any man fall to the ground in pain. He gave a snarled of pain and his arms loosened. She managed to wrench herself free. She ran a few steps before spinning around to face him. At that moment she felt demented. There was no other way to describe it. the only reason she knew she wasn't truly crazy was that the insane never thought or questioned if they were insane. She had nothing but the anger and no common sense to curb it in front of the monster that would kill her so effortlessly if she said the wrong thing._

"_HOW DARE YOU!" She shrieked in outrage, her voice going up several octaves. She was absolutely senseless with rage at that moment. She had always thought they were exaggerating when they said seeing red but she was seeing a hell of a lot of it. Her fists were clenched and she couldn't think properly enough except to scream at him. Her ears were roaring and what wasn't blazing crimson in her vision was completely focused on him. "YOU KILLED THEM! MY ENTIRE FAMILY! YOU BETRAYED ME AND NOW YOU THINK WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP? YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!" she continued to scream and screech herself hoarse. Her eyes were wide and she was close to just screaming at him senselessly. It became worse. Voicing the knowledge that they were dead and gone made it even more real and she didn't know whether to scream at him, run from him or to just cry for her loss. All the rage and pain and the last of her energy left going into these words. He stared into her eyes with a stony face in silence, just listening to her speak._

"_WHY DID YOU DO THIS? WHY DID YOU KILL EVERYONE? IT WOULD BE UNFORGIVABLE TO KILL MY PARENTS ALONE BUT WHY __**EVERYONE**__? AUNTIE COOKIE? ELIZABETH? ALICE? ANNA?JASPER? WHAT ABOUT JACK? OR EVEN OPHELIA? WHAT DID THEY DO THAT DESERVED THIS? __**WHY**__ DID YOU KILL _**EVERBODY**_?" she stopped for a moment panting for air her head spinning from the lack of air. Her head was beginning to ache and she could feel a soar throat coming on from screaming but she didn't care. She needed to know. She had heard his reason for her mother and father and… Jack… but why everyone? Why everyone? Why everyone else? _

_Why? _

_Why? _

_Why?_

_Why had he done this?_

_Why? _

_Why? _

_Why?_

_He was silent for a moment and she could see him trying to come up with a response and she whispered knowing he would hear. "I want the truth Alucard… I want the truth Vlad…" He looked down as she used his real name. She knew his name was Vlad Dracula and for some reason he liked reversing it._

"_Why would you do this? Did you think they were unimportant to me? Why would you do this? Did you think I would hear what you had done and just pretend it didn't happen? That I didn't know? I knew you are a killer because it is how you eat and I cannot understand why that never horrifies me but I have never heard of you going on a massacre like this before… On good people who had not threatened me no less? I want the truth Vlad, not jokes or lies or your snake tonguing. Why did you do this? Why did you do this to ME?" he flinched at that last question and it was the first time she had ever seen him unsettled. If she hadn't known he never regretted killing she would have thought she saw regret in his eyes for what had happened._

_Several tense moments of silence went on before he spoke quietly. "Seras… I had not meant to kill them. I have very little of my usual control over myself or any common sense when it comes to you. If anything I pride myself on my self control but I have very few weaknesses and even fewer I will admit to and you have become my biggest. Originally I had intended to only kill that pathetic…" here he paused for a moment actually trying to find an insult disgusting enough to suit him. _

_But Seras just stared at him. He looked like a child caught doing something it knew was wrong. He actually regretted Aunties and all the others deaths? Then why had it happened in the first place? She was a weakness of his? Her head was nearly spinning in three directions from the confusion. He continued and she had to focus to hear him. It turned out he had no word horrid enough to describe Jack. "I had killed him and I was in the height of bloodlust that was testing even my self restraint when your mother and father came into the filths room to discuss wedding arrangements.." Seras's eyes widened in horror as she realized what must have happened._

_They must have seen him and done the thing that was natural in that situation but the very worst thing they could do in that moment: run. Alucard had told her everything there was to know about vampires, secrets and customs including things about bloodlust. During it the vampire was senseless with basic instincts. Predators and hunter instincts with very little common sense made them mad, gloriously mad but mad all the same. To walk in on a predator baring its teeth at you the worst thing you could do was run. The act of turning you back on them and retreating signaled 'prey'._

_He made a regretful face and continued to speak in his smooth baritone. "Yes, they ran and it snapped all self control I had left in that moment. In that moment I was no longer Vlad but a predator. I tore through everything looking for blood and it was not until the coward, that selfish shrew Ophelia held up the child that I had manage to reign myself in, only to be far to late."_

"_You regret it?" she couldn't believe this. He never regretted any human's death._

"_I do not regret killing humans Seras but I regret causing __**you**__ pain." She knew he didn't mean that he didn't regret their deaths, just humans in general. "I only regret the death of the child." Her head shot up and Alucard smiled somewhat. One of those rare true smiles she rarely caught on his face. He continued speaking. "Yes Seras, I regret the death of the child. Even to one such as me, to take a child's life requires a special kind of evil, one that I do not posses. Do not think me so monstrous that I would kill a little boy in cold blood. That is a second weakness of mine, one I do not announce but as I have said I have very little common sense when it comes to you so I seem to be pouring out all my secrets to you."_

_Somehow Seras didn't feel so angry anymore but what of Jack? What reason could he have to want to stop the wedding? What point did he have in possessing her? Was she to remain companionless and age into an old maid? Was that his plan? Why? She didn't want to grow old and die alone. She wanted someone to love, and children to raise and love. She wanted to know what it was like to kiss or to be held by a man in comfort. She wanted to know what love was. She may have not loved Jack but she saw with him a chance for children of her own and maybe the love would come later. Who was she to be with now? Who would she raise little babies with and grow old next now?_

_**I am to die alone and husbandless**__ she thought forlornly. He growled catching these thoughts of hers. He spoke again this time and she had never heard his voice so dark and full of intent._

"_You belong to me Seras and I will allow nothing to take you from me, not even death. You do not seem to understand the kind of relationship I desire for us to have. I had thought I made the reason clear but you do not understand. Regardless I will make you understand what I want. In the meantime it would not be wise to be in the company of other men."_

_Her rage was back. He had just told her she was not allowed to love. Oh she was already so lonely before and now she was going to be even lonelier with everyone dead.__ Such a lonely childhood. If it had not been for him she would have not been able to bear it. Lonely still then and lonelier now!__ And now he stood in front of her telling her that she was not allowed to love or be loved in return or he would kill them. "I have no idea what kind of relationship you want to have with me but I refuse! I AM NOT YOURS! I AM NOT ANYONES!" but apparently she had said the wrong thing. She had never seen him move but her bravery and moment of unhinged madness faded at what happened next._

_He was in front of her before she knew it and her wrists were tightly grasped and held up by each of his hands in an iron grip that was tightly clasped so much so that it hurt. But that wasn't what scared her. Her entire body shook with fear and she trembled violently at the change that had overtaken his persona. She had seen him like this before but never directed at her. His eyes were angry slits or pure madness that was insanely angry. His lip was curled back revealing his white fangs and his face was so close to hers she could smell the blood coming from his mouth. His hair was moving about, slithering alive and it moved doing several things at once, be it to move around her neck possessively or to simply writhe about menacingly behind him. His body was quivering in rage and he looked like he was trying to control himself. _

_She frantically remembered his instructions and forced her own shaking, shakes of terror, to stop and stood stock still forcing herself to look into those eyes. She wanted to scream and run until someone came to her bed and shook her awake telling her it was only a dream. Never before had he directed this towards her and she was for the first time seeing him when he was at his angriest. Even when had tried to kidnap her for ransom and then tried to violate her he had not been this angry._

_She was so frail in comparison to him. So weak. So fragile. She knew it. He knew it. All it would take was a slight twitch of his wrists that were holding hers to break it. What scared her even more was behind the barley restrained rage was the look of knowledge in his eyes, the knowledge that he was completely in control on the situation and that she was powerless. He could do anything he wanted and she was powerless to stop him. She locked her legs and knees, trying desperately to not quiver or move or show fear. Only defenseless prey showed fear to predators, he had taught her. After several minutes of staring Seras could see his control returning and he spoke then but the smooth voice of calm came out like a hiss and his face was still the perfect image of pure rage. _

"_You do not have a choice in the matter. I will not give you one. You will come with me my dear as there is nothing left for you here. I spent twelve long years here in England for your sake waiting for the right moment to enact my plans. I have already said I will allow no one to hurt you and for no other man to touch you. We can do this the easy way and you can come along willingly like a good little girl, __**or**__," his face darkened even further threateningly and she shrank back from the biting tone that crept into his voice, "we can do this the hard way. I assure you that it is most unpleasant, the hard way."_

_She so wanted the easy way, it was clearly the safer path and it would be a welcome relief form the nightmares but she couldn't accept it. She couldn't just lie down and die like that. She couldn't just give up. She couldn't just accept defeat. He may hold true to his promise never to harm her but if she just gave up it was the same as dying. It was death in disguise. The loss of free will and how to think for herself, or freely feel. She knew as well as he, that even if she went with him, she would always be waiting for the moment his eyes was turned away, or he fell asleep, or distracted, or wasn't watching whether or not she had drugged his wine with sleep plant. She would wait in silence for that moment to make her escape and he would never take his eyes off of her for it. She would never be able to freely think her thoughts because he would punish her and any thought of rebellion. He did not need to hit her either to punish her because there were other ways he could do it._

_She squared her chin. "No." was all she said and she was proud that her voice didn't waiver or shake. She tensed waiting for the anger. She waited in vain. He seemed pleased in fact but the look on his face scared her._

_He smirked in a satisfied way and chuckled before letting go of her. "Good! Good! My little kitten has backbone. You have chosen the hard way little kitten and I'm afraid that for you that means a little game. Well, for me it will mean endless fun and a worthy prize." She tensed fearfully. Alucard's games had always a sort of lethal edge especially if he got like this._

"_Wha- what sort of game?" she couldn't help the trepidation that crept into her and her voice. He grinned wider.  
_

_He leaned in and his imposingly tall figure made her feel trapped. His hands released her wrists much to her confusion. She looked up into his eyes warily and was scared. Her protector was turning against her and she was left feeling vulnerable. "Seras Eveen Victoria…"he paused and spoke one word she would never forget. "Run."_

"_What?" she stammered in surprise._

"_The rules are simple. If you enter a church I shall not follow but be warned that you cannot stay much longer inside because I will grow bored. I will not allow you to try to live in a church or monastery even to escape me. If you are caught you come will me willingly. There is no time limit to this game."_

"_Why should I play such a sick twisted game for you?" his grin widened showing of each and every pointed tooth making him look insane and dangerous and her breath hitched in fear. Her instincts screamed to run but she firmly planted her feet._

_His voice now came out a purr, seductively making an offer. "Why, I shall of course never bother you again and you may fall in love with any man of your choosing." _

_She stared already feeling the tears welling in her eyes at the unfairness. It was not fair. He made this game knowing she would loose. He had every advantage. Endurance; he could run for days without having to stop to eat or sleep. Speed; she should know she had ridden his back and he had taken her all the way to Wales in one night and be back by the morning. He didn't get sick and he had powers of the undead to draw on. He had every advantage and she had every weakness. She had limits and was therefore human, she would have to stop to sleep and eat sometime. She was a slow creature like every human. She could get sick, or be robbed on the roadside or even injured. This was sick and he knew it. He was telling her that if she did the impossible she was allowed to have love._

_He heard these thoughts and grinned. "Of course not little one. An easily obtained prize is no fun at all. You shall of course be given a head start to make up for you human deficiencies," he leaned in with a serious face but there was too much amusement there for it to come off serious. __"Run Seras. Run and learn what I want you to learn. You are not yet ready for what I want."_

"_When will this game be over?"_

"_When I catch you or you hide and I cannot find you." The tears ran freely down her face and she felt to exhausted to move but she knew she would have to. His words washed over her senselessly as her exhaustion started to make her sag into his arms. Suddenly what he meant came to mind and she trembled violently in shock and fear. He wouldn't stop hunting her ever. Even when she found a place to hide he would continue to search for her. She wouldn't even know if she had won and if she found a husband while hiding and he found her… oh god have mercy couldn't she be allowed to have happiness? In the end he had just told her that no matter what she would always be hunted and his sick game would never be over until he had won. Truly he had set it up in such a way to favor him and it was sickening that he had done so when he already had so many natural advantages._

_She whispered her thoughts to him. "What if I still don't want to play? I don't want this Vlad. I want to bury my dead and mourn my loss. I know it to be true but I am still trying to process what you had done and what your actions are as reality. Why me? You could have done this with hundreds of other women much more beautiful or clever or charming and yet out of all them you choose me to be your friend. Why?" it burst from her mouth before she could stop herself. It was the question she always had in the back of her mind but never dared voice for fear he realized she was right and left her. She had always wondered and now she could not help but question it._

_A strange expression came over his face then and the anger and sick mirth faded from his face. She stared his and realized that his expression was almost… tender? Or soft? Or sweet? His hand raised to her cheek and gently stroked it softly and she couldn't help but lean into the gentle touch. So... tired and sleepy. The only thing that woke her up was his voice as he answered her plea for knowledge. _

"_But they would not be you Seras. The clever insightful little girl I met who did not fear me at my worst was unique and sweet. Then the inquisitive cunning youth you were at thirteen did not fear me, even when you had seen me kill, and you were kind and innocent. Now the beautiful young woman you are now with such witty has seen the terrible damage I have done against you and still you do not hate me and only slightly fear. Though you do not fear me but only fear what you __**think**__ I will do to you. You ARE Beautiful. You ARE charming. You ARE clever. You are clever yet you seem to not understand what I want. You are far too innocent for your own good if you still do not realize."_

_Confused she looked at him. "What? What don't I realize? You have said several times you want something from me and that there is a relationship you want and yet you never say so. Is being friends and confidents not enough? What else is there?" she stared at his red eyes and he seemed to be thinking something. His hands withdrew from her face and he stepped back._

"_In good time little one." She scowled at the nickname. He always called her that or kitten or dear. "Now we have the time for games." Her eyes widened as she realized he was going to chase her whether or not she agreed to the game. "Yes, it is time. There is a lesson to be learned on this journey and a solo training among other to be had, among other things. Now are you gong to run or shall I take your standing there completely still as you changing your mind and taking the easy way?"_

_She felt herself stepped back in fear. No. she would not give in so easily and lay down with her neck in the guiltiness path like a good girl. She would go kicking and screaming and if she had to, biting. He took a step forward and she backed away another small step. He grinned widely and roared savagely and she screamed spinning around and ran down the hall towards the stairs. She stumbled and fell on her ripped skirts. She looked behind her to see him still standing there and he made no move to take advantage of her momentary disabled status. Frantically she picked herself up and gripped the bloodied tattered edges with her hands, lifted them high up and dashed for the stairs past the ghouls of her deceased friends and they made no move for her. They only stood there in their hellish visage and all not even reacting to her presence. She ran down the stairs and ran around her mother's body. She didn't hear him coming after her and that suited her fine._

_She ran to the front and scrabbled with the handle in a panic. Finally she manages to make it work and she flung it open and ripped through the entrance not even bothering to close it behind her. She could feel her music box locket given to her by her mother bouncing on her chest. Her heart pounded frantically and she stopped for a moment unsure of where to go. She looked around and saw it. Hope burned inside her like an unquenchable blaze and she ran for the stables recklessly not even watching her feet in the dark for the moon was full and bright. She ran in and turned the corner to where her horse was. She grabbed the saddle and a bag of horse supplies before turning to her horse that was drinking water. _

_Nightshade nickered at her softly, her black coat gleaming from a fresh brushing. The last horse her friend the stableman had ever brushed,_

_Unlocking the gate she threw it open and jammed the saddle onto her horse hysterically groping with the ties and knots till they wee secured. She hesitated for a moment. Her head drooped slightly and she snapped her head up again. She was to tired and wouldn't be able to stay on him. Her eyes fell on a loop of rope and she ran at the wall stopping short she grabbed it. Running back to nightshade she saw that she had spooked the horse with her panic and fear. Forcing herself to calm down she slowly approached the horse and cooed softly to ease the horse's nerves. "SHHHhhh, nightshade. That's a good girl. There. There." Slowly she climbed onto the horse. Putting her feet firmly into the saddle she took the large length of rope and tied the rope around her waist to the bridle an then she grabbed the reigns. This way she could ride in her sleep._

_She clicked the reigns and the horse began to run. She could feel the darkness of him again and his eyes on her and the fear welled up again. She leaned forward tightly gripping the reigns and urge the horse. "Faster Nightshade please!"_

_She heard it in her head then, the voice that would haunt her dreams both good and bad. The voice that would torment her for the next year of running and fleeing, the year of fear. He laughed and gleefully taunted her into her head. She heard his challenge and sobbed digging her heel into Nightshades side to make him run faster._

_**Why Seras… where are you going? Leaving me so soon? I'm hurt. Go ahead and run Seras. RUN, LITTLE ONE RUN, I WILL STILL CATCH YOU**_

She shuddered from the memory and tried to think of something else. Thankfully the door opened and her eyes immediately locked unto a tray for food and a pitcher of water. She eyes it greedily and her stomach rumbled. When was the last time she had food? Even before ending up in the place she couldn't remember getting to she had the distinct impression she hadn't eaten much even before getting there. She realized her rudeness and guiltily looked at the owner of the arms holding the tray.

A cheery smiling face of a young woman greeted her. Sunny blonde hair and vivid green eyes. The woman wore a simple white dress that modestly was long sleeved and went to the ground. Seras noticed the defined bulge where her stomach was and realized the woman was with child. Only about three months along it seemed.

"You know we were quite worried about you. You came up to our door last night screaming for sanctuary and then that dreadful wolf my father saw chasing you. You were asleep for three days you know. And the injuries you sustained…" she clucked her tongue but was still smiling brightly. Seras had the distinct impression of dottiness and bubbly personality. It reminded her of how she used to be. She could barley remember what it felt like to be herself.

She sat there in shock and slowly began to remember. She could remember laying there just getting to sleep when he roared into the clearing teeth bared. She remembered running to nightshade when the horse had been bitten. Then she remembered grabbing her bag and running. The frantic run through the forest. Pain. Exhaustion. Fear. Crying. Run. Run. Run. Run. Run. Run. He laughed and mocked her, gaining ground effortlessly. She tripped and got up. Tripped again. Running through thorn bushes and over streams. Her chest burned. Her breathing ragged. Then like a beacon of hope she had seen the church. She remembered the door screaming sanctuary like she was going to be murdered. Now she remembered and she almost slumped in relief. She hadn't been captured by Vlad. At least she now knew where the bruises on her hands came from.

She tried to talk but her voice cracked and she coughed. The woman ran before her and helped her drink. The water slid down her dry throat and soothed it. She managed to talk but still t came out as a quiet rasp. "Who are you and where is here exactly?

"Oh how rude of me, I'm Ise Alexander. Welcome to the catholic church."

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12-9-10

See? I said I would update. How's the new chapter? In this situation Seras is much older. About 17 and a half in fact. The year is about 1801. Now what I did here is a little different. The whole Mina-Lucy-Dracula thing never happened. Oh don't misunderstand me. Alucard is still Vlad Tepes III, Vlad the Impaler, and all of that but I decided to do things strikingly different. *Mischievous grin* because I dare to dream and be different.

Basically you will find out more as the story goes along and there will be more flashbacks. I am telling you this because there will be no stream of time to discern from. It will jump to various times from when she is five to twelve to five again or to sixteen and I'm afraid you're just going to have to forgive me for this. Also Seras will mainly call him Vlad but occasionally call him Alucard. The reason for this will be explained later on.

I can't believe I am saying this but I am going to be focusing on my Hellsing fanfics and *gulp* be putting my Naruto stories on Hiatu-

*screams* Seras: Don't you dare say that word! It's evil! Evil I tell you!

Author: … okay. How about I say: I won't be updating any of my Naruto fanfiction for a long, extended and undecided period of time because I want to work on my Hellsing stories?.

Seras: that's worse!

Author: do you want me to force you to wear that ridiculously revealing outfit you wear in the cannon?

Seras: … no, I'll be good.

Okay, expect more updates and a whole lot of fun and updates! … Hiatus is really the most evil word isn't it? How any times have you been reading a great storyline and then got to the last chapter only to find that the story is unfinished and the author never updated and the story is from five years ago? Please don't put stories on hiatus. It makes me sad when I see great stories left out unfinished. It's like looking at a young orphan or a lost puppy dog giving you "The Eyes".

So what will happen? Will Alucard get bored and decide to end the game? Will he just walk in and nab poor little Seras while she can't move? *evil* I love being evil. Or will he wait? What will happen? Choices, choices. … MUHAHAHAHH! I like toast…. Okay I had way to much sugar but snickers are delicious. and the twizzlers. and the mangos. mangos are goooodddd. Don't forget the toast. Or the soda. Or the vinegar chips.

-He will knock four times.


	4. Chapter 4

In this flashback it's a year later and Seras is six. Expeditions take a lot of time to set up and go on. Okay, so I have an apology to make to you readers. It's 1785 in the flashbacks and yet sometimes I've got Seras talking as if she's a toddler from 2001. I'm trying to keep it time period correct but I don't have a sentence formulator for Victorian age ways of speaking. I looked it up and I just don't have the time or the patience to try to make them sound all old English. so….

Knock begs for forgiveness!

Also there's a pov change that I also modeled a small scene after a picture found in deviant art. Its called "Seras Victoria Sleeping Beauty" .com/ art/Seras-victoria-Sleeping-Beauty-74153517?q=boost%3Apopular+hellsing+sleeping&qo=6 go look at it. all you have to do is imagine Seras bandaged up on her arms and legs.

Oooh! I'm also nearly done with "Submit to me" Chapter 8 so look forward to that later today.

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Burn.

That was a word she was becoming much too acquainted with now. She burned everywhere. Her head burned. Her skin burned. Her toes burned. Her fingertips burned. Her very being was turning to charcoal. Her feet that she had been told were rubbed raw and covered with blisters from running burned. Her cut up arms that were as weak and damaged as her legs burned. Her back burned and screamed at her to stop moving. She couldn't move but the slightest twinge made her body scream in agony and she couldn't believe that she had managed to sit up when she had first woke up. Her eyes burned from the lack of sleep. Her mouth burned from the liquid that was too hot but she stifled her complaints because she didn't want to stop swallowing it. Even her cheeks burned in embarrassment.

Humiliated.

That was another feeling that she had become far too familiar with after waking up. She couldn't even feed herself and Ise was spoon feeding her. Much to slowly as well Seras privately thought. She was ravenous and starving. She wanted to eat quickly to get rid of the pain in her stomach. She wanted to eat as fast as she could and she wanted to do it herself. But this was humiliating. Being spoon fed like some baby or invalid. When she had woken up she had desperately needed to answer the call of nature but couldn't move her body. So, like the good church woman she was, Ise had volunteered. She had needed help the whole time too. Humiliation and shame raced through her body at this. She couldn't even lift her head to drink water on her own.

Discomfort.

Every inch of her body had some form of discomfort. If it wasn't the burn tormenting her then it was something else. No mater what position she was in some form of discomfort was there. Her feet and arms itched from the bandages. The cuts on her face felt stiff and if she tried to move her face they would reopen. Her legs and feet too. They felt like unbroken shale. The slightest amount of pressure make the scabs crack and bleed staining her bandages in the process. Her arms had been cut up from scratches and bramble that she had run through. Oh but her back… what had she done to it? It felt like she had been bruised all over and Ise had confirmed it. Had it been when she fell of Nightshade and onto the rock bed? That would explain the feeling like she was sore.

Loss.

Nightshade… Her horse and the only companion she had left. Gone. Gone like all the rest except that this time it was her fault. Now she had truly love everyone. She had only just manage to jump on her trusty horses back when he had jumped up at her and her poor horse had panicked. She reared back and her rider fell onto the stone covered rocks by the river bed ground. He hadn't attacked her horse but Seras had panicked and left her poor horse behind. Her last companion… the only companions she met on the road these days besides her trusty horse were cutthroats and thieves hoping to take advantage of a young woman traveling on her own.

Confusion.

Her head felt like it was hot. Too hot. She couldn't think straight except to eat. Her thinking was slow and sluggish, and it seemed like she couldn't see straight. In fact, as Ise fed her she thought that she was also seeing Ise's twin. There were two Ise's both were the same smile and clothing holding the exact same spoon in the exact same way, feeding her. How strange. And the clothing she was wearing… How long had it been since she last wore a dress? It made her feel scared and naked somehow. Like she was indecently dressed. It was strange to be wearing a dress.

Bare feet… a feeling that confused her more. It was still a slight comfort to be having bandaged feet so that she wasn't completely bare but her boots… she needed them. Now. She was scared without them. She needed something to help her run. Running? Her heat was even hotter and she felt like she was radiating heat. Simmering even and she shivered. Who was cooking her? Were these Catholics cannibals? Running… there was something important she needed to do that involved running. What was it? …. No. who was it? Who was she running from? Could she run? This time she shuddered. She was so hot that she felt cold.

Dependency.

Another form of humiliation she had to endure. She had been so independent so long she didn't remember what it was like to rely on others. She needed food who was she to turn to? Ise. She needed to relieve herself what person was to help her? Ise. If her bandages needed to be changed could she do it herself? No, Ise would. Her whole concept of reality for so long now had been based on the idea of keeping herself unnoticed so that he wouldn't find her and relying on herself. Now it was if the sky had fallen and no one but her noticed. She felt scared at the level of weakness and dependency she needed fro t his woman. Had she become so alienated with people? Was this the lesson Vlad wanted her to learn? She couldn't be independent and she hated it.

Weak.

Weak and vulnerable were going hand in hand for her. The good woman cheerily chattered away something she could barely understand from her burring body. She felt unnaturally hot. She had managed to clear her head some earlier and ask for her daggers and sword but they refused to give them back. This served to humiliate her further. They seemed to think her a foolish child that would cut herself if she weren't careful. She was a grown woman. And it made her feel even more weak and vulnerable.

Defenselessness. Yes that was the better word. She felt completely defenseless. She had no knife under her pillow. No spare dagger at her feet in case she needed a quick draw. No comfortable weight of a silver sword at her hip to defend herself with. And the fatigue… she felt more exhausted than she thought was possible. She had been asleep for nearly four days. Why was she still so tired and weak? She could barely lift her arms in the slightest and while that might had made her desire for her daggers pointless it was a moot point. She couldn't move if she wanted to and she couldn't sit up without some amount of help. Even talking made her feel exhausted. Thinking was even more taxing with her thoughts so muddled. She was frail and hated it. So hot… why was it so hot?

Restless.

She needed to move. Her mind was going insane from this… this lack of movement. Her body begged to stay still but her mind bawled at her to move. Her body shrieked to keep going and her mind warred with her body to stay still. These conflicting desires only added to the confusion. All she needed to know was that she felt trapped within herself. Like she had been tied down and was screaming from the inside. Move, walk, run, step, lift, lower, twitch. All beyond her reach and it was the most agonizing torture of all. Her mind rebelled at stagnation and lying in this damn bed was making her stagnate. Her body was a festering wound the longer she stayed still and she glared at the walls that surrounded her. She didn't care if they were keeping her safe in this dangerous version of a child's game because they were the things that were making her feel trapped.

Burn, humiliated, discomfort, loss, confusion, dependency, weak, defenselessness and restless. All these paled in comparison to her biggest concern:

Fear.

The sun was going down soon. Now that she was awake would he come for her? She had been asleep for three and a half days and still she was immobile. Fear surged through her. He had made it clear he wasn't going to kill her so what was he going to do? What did he want with her? Ho much longer before the sun was finally down? Was her year of running over and would her years of captivity begin? Fear was the only thing that made her feel a little cooler. But even the all consuming heat burned at that and began to sear her from the insides as it grew hotter. She couldn't breath. She felt tight. So hot… whny wasn't anyone else hot? Why wouldn't they open a window?

She started to breath hard and Ise had noticed because she was no longer feeding her. For hours she heard the sounds of running and voices. She began to see things too. Her horse trotting around castle bran eating a painting. Then her father and Vlads faces melted together confusing her even further and they were telling her that she belong somewhere. Then her horse nightshade was talking to her and telling her everything would be okay and that she was going to live. It dimly registered to her that these were fever dreams she was having. She tossed and turned fitfully as the dreams became stranger and more complicated. At last when she could stand it no more she finally exhausted herself and slept. Even then her mind was active because she dreamed once again.

"_There it is princess." She followed her father's fingers towards the mountain ad saw a giant white castle there with turrets and spires with the tallest tower in the middle. Excitedly she jumped up and plastered her face to the window on the train car staring at it in wonder and fascination. She couldn't have been happier. father was taking her along and she was seeing the most amazing places and the weirdest of people. fahter said not to tell them they were weird though. He said it was rude. The train was so noisy. It made all these "BHWOOOO" noises father said was the train whistles and a constant "clatta clack"._

_She turned to her father. "When will we get there? Huh? When?" she was bouncing with excitement and eagerness. She wondered if there was a wizard or a dragon or maybe a evil monster that was holding a princess captive._

_Her father smiled and said "soon princess but you should get some sleep."_

"_But I'm not tired!" she complained still jumping up and down. _

_Her father just grinned and said innocently "Oh? Well then just lay down for a while. For me?"_

"_Awww." But she complied and she wasn't lay down. Really, she wasn't tired. Not tired in the slightest. Honest. Five minutes later she was sleeping soundly as the train rolled along the Cliffside to the village four miles away never knowing that in five hours her life was going to be changed forever._

(A/n: Okay, I hate to do this in the middle of a story but I have to warn you of a pov change. It's an Alucard one.)

He stood there in his human form with a grin on his face as he stared at his prize. He was quite pleased. She was awake now and he could have some fun with that. His elation was slightly marred by the battered state of her body but he would allow her to heal. She slept soundly and found he rather liked the dress her human caretaker had provided. It went just below the knee caps and was white and form fitting. Not appropriate dress wears for outside but the dress suited him just fine because it outlined every curve of his Seras's small body.

His eyes slid to her mouth that was breathing raggedly and he frowned. Her fever had only just broken an hour ago and her body was in a sorry state. He had pushed her beyond her limits and she had run herself ragged. Perhaps he had taken it too far? She was badly damaged and weak from sickness and injury. He would have to revise his plans and take her soon. The change would heal all her wounds and repair her body. Or he could heal her in her sleep and let the game continue for a little longer? The fact that she had lasted so long was astounding to him. She refused to give up and die. She didn't fear him but she just feared what he wanted. How strange that she would not understand that what he wanted, was her. He had stated he wanted her but she did not realize in what way.

He could have taken her long ago but in truth he had hoped that she would give in to him. The fact that she had lasted so long made him grin widely. Yes. He had chosen well. Strong willed, beautiful and the potential in a human he hadn't seen the likes of in centuries. Not to mention she was the most fascinating and innocent human he had ever met. She had absolutely no concept of carnal things even now at her age. The little girl when he first met her had been fascinating and with very little to entertain himself with he had decided to follow her.

It may have sounded impulsive but with very little to do he left his court for a whim and left all the bureaucratic details to his second in command, Sisgmund. The child… oh the mind and cunning there in the tiny head of a innocent child that had no concept of death or carnal things. Even for a child she was far more innocent but she had to have been the most interesting child he had met. She had, like some curious little dear, stumbled into a hunters den and started looking around. It was unusual and intriguing to him because most humans feared the dark, especially children. Yet there she was exploring the dark with no fear.

(A/n: again, this is from Alucard pov)

_He had given specific instructions to his court to remain hidden. The humans would enter the castle and the illusion being provided didn't let them see any of the finery but just a ruined castle. it had enraged him that they would enter HIS castle in an attempt to rob him. the gall some humans had! It would have been amusing to just slaughter the scum and be done with it but they had kept their existence here in the castle secret for nearly three hundred years and he wasn't going to ruin that because of pride. The humans were still busy looking around the courtyard and wouldn't be inside for at least another three days according to the information he had mined from a worthless human head._

_When they did enter the castle that would be where the challenge laid. Recent newborns had been made and it would be up to the masters of them to control them. Or else. He had made it clear what was to be done and he would allow no disobedience. His eyes wandered over the walls that had been made to seem old and filthy. The paintings and tapestries seemed to have been removed and stolen long ago by thieves and only broken furniture littered the hallway. But he was not fooled for he himself had put up the illusion all over the castle to fool the humans._

_Besides the humans in the castle very little was new and he could feel himself growing bored with it all. The court and its bureaucratic nonsense that came with being king, the constant vampire whores that fawned over him day after day trying to catch his attention. All of it. And while he enjoyed the company of their bodies it grew tiresome when they got it in their heads that they were now his queen. It caused too many problems. Women were bickering over who was his queen and who was most likely to catch his attention based on who he had taken to his coffin recently._

_He was rather comfortable in his hellhound form and felt no need to move. His paws were crossed over each other and his snout rested on them as he lounged in the shadows of the entryway. It was daytime but he felt no tiredness or desire to sleep. He had given orders for the others to leave him alone and find some other place of the castle to be in. if he hadn't there would be females fawning over him and he felt irritated at their attentions. None of them were very beautiful anyways. Their beauty was due to the changes they went through after being sired as a child of the night and their minds held even less interest to him. No woman he had met had been intelligent enough to challenge him and the women here had no fire. They all submitted to him willingly and backed down when he gave an order. _

_His ears perked as a small sound reached him. He raised his head curiously and sniffed. A human? He huffed in another gulp of air. Female definitely but it seemed young. Then he heard the clicks of small feet. The sounds were small and the clicks were very short between suggesting a young human female. Interesting. What was a human doing here? Let alone a child? The villagers below knew what was going on but could convince no outsider that it was more than just the ramblings of a overly superstitious village. They knew better than to enter the castle. His six eyes snapped open and they roved towards the hallway to the left that was from the servants entrance. The sight he saw was the oddest. _

_A little girl in a blue dress stood gazing open mouth at the room before her. She had golden hair that went just below her shoulders. She looked to be four maybe five and she looked angelic somehow. Her blue eyes were like sapphire or the purest blue topaz. Her dress only went down to her knees and the long sleeves of them covered her arms; her dress was covered in ribbons. He also sensed that she was a very pure human, very innocent. And her blood smeled the sweetest he had ever smelled in centuries. He restrained himself though. Only the most worthless scum killed children. Now that he looked closer she seemed to be with the archeologist humans. She certainly wasn't from the village. Perhaps she was from England?_

_Amused he thought she looked like a life-sized doll. She also seemed very curious. "Wow!" her tiny voice exclaimed in excitement and she ran over to the wall that had been illusion to look like nothing. But in fact that held a collection of ceremonial swords he had owned when he was human. He cocked his head to the side. The illusion told her nothing was their so why was she looking at the wall like there was something there? He entered her mind and what he found was astounding. She COULD see through the illusion and was looking at the castle in all its glory. He stared at her in puzzlement. How was this possible? No human should have been able to do this unless they had a decade of mental training or were powerful paladins. And while this was a very innocent child he highly doubted she was a paladin and she wasn't old enough to had gotten enough mental training to see through he illusion._

_Curiosity enflamed he decided he would ask her. The windows let in enough sunlight she would be able to see him. He stood up and walked next to her, curious as to whether she would run scared from him as other humans. He decided to speak into her mind._

_**Girl… what are you doing in my castle?**_

_She whirled around and looked at him. She stared curiously for a moment. Strange… she just looked at him curiously. No fear. He realized that maybe she had no concept of death. After all she was very young. Then the oddest thing happened. She smiled. In fact she looked ecstatic to find a monstrous, six red-eyed beastly wolf creature with fangs and claws. Nor did she seem to be disturbed that he was talking within her mind. This was a strange human. He had also made sure to hide himself within the illusion to test whether or not she could see through them and she clearly was looking at him._

"_A talkie doggie?" she said excitedly and she jumped up and down with her hair bouncing with her. "Daddy is never going to believe this!"_

_**You can see me child?**_

"_Of course I can! Why wouldn't I be able to?"_

_**Your eyes. Your human eyes. I had made it so no human eyes should be able to the see inside of this place as it really is. Why is it you can see with your eyes?**_

_At this moment she looked confused. Her next sentence made him stare at her in shock. "Why should I look with my eyes and believe everything I see is real? If I looked with my eyes would see anything of worth? I look with my heart!" now she looked proud._

_This human child… A fang filled grin covered his snout as he grinned as well as a dog could. This little human girl was the most entertaining little thing he had met in a long time. She saw what no human adult could. She looked with her instincts and knew that not everything she saw was the truth. Childish it may have been to say it was her heart but it was the only way her young mind could describe it. Perhaps it would be of value to keep her around for a while. Suddenly he found he didn't mind so much that they would enter his castle if this young thing with the interesting mind was staying around._

_**Why do you not fear me? I could hurt you and it would be very easy. **__Again, she showed no fear but just cocked her head to the side in thought._

"_But why should I fear you on sight? I do not know you but that gives me no reason to fear. If we ran in fear of everything we had never seen before no one would ever make friends. " _

_Interesting. This was an even more intriguing response from the she-human. It was directly opposite from the nature of humans. All humans fear what they can't understand. It is in their nature. They fear the unknown. It is why they fear the dark. Because if they cant see in the dark do they known what is in the dark? No, and that scares them. Yet this odd creature before him didn't seem to fear him or the dark. She had more courage than many full grown men he had ever met displayed. The wit and intelligence there was at odds with her innocence and lack of knowledge of the sins of the world. She would grow up to be a very fascinating human. He found himself wondering what she would look like grown up and found that he imagined her to be beautiful. She was sweet and a very pretty child. It only stood to reason she would make a beautiful woman._

_**Friends? Do you think me a friend? What if I am a monster?**__ He admitted that he was enjoying this conversation. _

"_But why would you being different make you a monster? Or why would you be a monster? And why would you being a monster make you not a friend?" he was pleased by her response. She was clever and observant. He would give her that. _

_**But what if I said I **__**was**__** a monster? Would you fear me then?**_

"_No. of course not." An interesting answer. He wondered what else she would not fear._

_**And why is that child?**_

"_Because not everything people say is as things really are. And everything people think are true is not everything that is true. For example… I could believe that you are a figment of my imagination and that would be the truth I chose to accept. But you clearly exist so I must change what I think is real."_

_He grinned widely in his entertainment. A battle of wit with a human child. And the ideas she had were absorbing._

_**But what makes you think I am real and not a figment of your imagination? What's to say I am not real? No human can claim to say they have seen a six eyed hellhound.**_

"_But what makes you not real? What makes anything real? What one person thinks is real could be different for what another thinks is real. If you are real then you stand before me. If you are a figment of my imagination then you are only in my head, therefore you still exist somewhere and because of that you still stand before me." He laughed uproariously at this. _

_The child was actually winning this battle of minds. The ideas she came up with were fascinating and quick. He wondered who had raised he little minx with here clever ways. She was a strange one. She could see through powerful illusions just because of the way she viewed the world and that she trusted her instincts. Vampires' use of illusions relied on ensnaring a human's sense of logic and alternating it. This little human girl twisted her sense of logic around so much that she had none and instead saw the world the way it was._

"_And besides, adults are unintelligent. They don't see or hear anything. I told father that there were pale people in the windows looking at us and he said that I was making them up." She crossed her arms at this and huffed angrily. He looked amused at her anger and indignation. Then she cocked her head to the side and said curiously "but what about you?"_

_**What do you mean 'what about me'?**_

"_You could be imagining me. What makes you so convinced that __**I **__am real?" He felt slightly stunned at this question. But he found it to be the most entertaining part. This child was very amusing. _

_**Because I know you are. You even have memories of an entire lifetime in your head.**_

"_If I am a creation of your head then you would think that wouldn't you? And if I was a creation of your head I also would think I was real and that my memories were real." Forget amusing this child was a riot! He became curious of her name. She had yet to share it and humans seemed obsessed with giving names and titles._

_**What is your name child?**_

"_Names are pointless. Mine was given to me and it might not be what I am. Besides, I believe it is customary to give your own name before asking for another persons." Yet again another insightful answer that was also interesting. He morphed into his human form and stood full height but she just looked curiously, not startled or frightened at all. He bowed low with his left hand behind his back and his right on chest just below the clavicle. This time he spoke aloud and his deep baritone echoed slightly in the entranceway._

"_You are correct. Very well. I am Vlad but you may call me Alucard. Your name?"_

_She smiled sweetly and lifted her chin proudly. "Seras Victoria."_

She had grown up well and his idea that she would become beautiful was correct. Her body line was nothing less than perfection and he leered at it without shame. Her body had become even more beautiful with all the extra exercise the running gave her. Her stomach muscles that cold be made out through the fabric of the nightgown were taunt but he could tell that she was still soft. Her milk white calves were bandaged but they would heel in time. He stared at her slightly amazed. Was it so natural for a human to be so pale? Her hair was still that bright gold color like waves of sunlight. Her eyes, though closed, he knew that if they were open they would still be the bright topaz of clear blue. He stared at her sleeping form and was pleased to see her breathing was evening out. She was already healing. But he had no means to take care of a human so it fell to the damned priests and her human care taker to completely heal her before he picked her up. He decided that she had learned the lesson he wanted her to learn.

Before she had been a scared little thing. She was still that insightful girl with the strange sense of logic and clever mind of quick with but she had become too dependent on everyone. That independency had been created by the culture she grew up in that ordered submission to men. She had never openly submitted but never had she disobeyed either. So he needed her to grow a sense of independency and he had to say that she had adjusted well. She needed to be able to take care of herself while he was away or the vampiresses of the castle would let their jealousy get out of hand and take advantage of any absence he had if he went on a trip. He could threaten death but to be his queen she needed to stand at his side and not clutch frightened at his coattails.

His gloved hands reached out and trailed his fingertips along her bandages up to her upper calves. He continued his fingers traveling up her legs enjoying the sensation of touching. Even with the gloves he could tell her muscled legs were soft. She wasn't overly muscled either but her legs were lithe and smooth. He heard her whimper in pain in her sleep and realized he was pressing down slightly. He lifted up and continued his fingers trailing along her shape but when he reached her kneecaps and the hem of her dress he pulled back.

No.

He would not violate her in such a way. If she was to be his, she would be his queen and not his private whore. His eyes glowed eagerly as he realized she was ready. He began melting into the wall behind him his eyes fixed on her sleeping form. "Soon, Seras Victoria, very soon."


	5. Chapter 5

_Can't stay here…_ she thought urgently. _Got to move on like always… _

She tried to creep but found the best she could do was to move stiffly while bursts of pain heated her tender legs and licked at her body like wildfire. She had woken up three days ago and her legs had grown again the skin they had lost and her back had more or less mended. When she had tried to say she wanted her shoes and swords so she could leave the "kind church woman" Ise had shown herself to be disappeared and a fierce mothering sort of woman showed.

The woman was positively adamant that she stay in bed and continue to recover. She couldn't do that. Her legs were fine. Really! They were. They were just sore. And screaming for her to sit down. Or to find a horse to ride out on because they were **not** going to do this. …. _Fine_. She admitted that they needed more healing but to stay any longer was seriously pushing her luck. Luck she felt she never really had what with her entire family dead and her childhood protector chasing her all across the continent.

She slid along the wall of the courtyard trying not to cry out from the signals her body shrieked at her. The filthy cobble stone felt unpleasant under feet but it eased the pain with its cold surfaces and smooth texture. It blissfully felt like rocks taken from a river bed and washed even. Her legs had been bandaged but her skin was as raw and tender as a newborns. Her leg felt even weaker. She tried to see through the dark gloom at night but there wasn't even moonlight to see with and she was left blind. She had a lamp but that was a terrible idea.

Her legs began to wobble from standing so long and she spied a staff leaning against some sort of round thing protruding from the ground. She forced herself to take a step and stumbled forward towards the odd shape. Her body crumpled into a useless heap by the strange wall-like surface and she just barely managed to not cry out. She stretched out her hand feeling for the staff. She reached out farther and her hand groped around meeting nothing but frigid stone. She shivered from the cold. Why Ise had only given her a ridiculously thin white dress she would never know. She finally closed over hard wood and she felt its lined surfaces and a knot in the wood.

Curious of what the other thing she had seen in the dark was that resembled some sort of flat hump she experimentally reached out with her other hand and felt the protrusion of stone. She made her hand go up higher and higher until she was stretching her arm and finally she felt the top of the thing and its edges. She began pulling herself up staff in one hand and the cold stone support in the other. It was exhausting work and she was tempted to go back to bed and try again in a day or two but she staved off the ridiculous idea. She stumbled back but managed to use the staff to right herself. Her knees shook slightly but she could stand straight. Squinting Seras studied the object of her curiosities. It looked like a… well? It was a stone well and rounded, sticking three feet out of the ground.

With her curiosity sated she used the staff to hobble over the wall and she slid alongside it. _Taking too long_. She felt impatient and she tried to calm herself. Impatience was always a wrecker of the best laid plans. She blindly groped along the wall feeling every crack and bump of the terracotta and brick trying to find a door. She wandered and bumped into a wall unexpectedly. Frowning she realized she had reached a corner so she turned and tried again. Just when it seemed she had struck out again she felt a break. Pausing she slid her hands up and down and smiled excitedly. A door! Finally!

As soon as she found her sword, her dagger and boots as well her bag she could raid the kitchens and go. If she was right and she had staid on her course then she should be somewhere near Luz Saint Sauveur and the border of Spain. She would cross the border and from there she could travel west and find a beach town. She shuddered at the idea but if push came to shove, god forbid it, she would purchase a ticket to the Americas. Her couldn't possibly follow her there could her?

She felt for the knob and turned slowly. Pulling it back she winced at the squeal of the oil-less hinges of the door that seemed unnaturally loud. She peered in and her heart caught and began beating widely. It was Adan and Ise asleep in bed! Adan was a hearty man of twenty that was giddy as a school girl about becoming a father. Seras thought he was a good man and would make a good father. A little over zealous about the catholic faith. He also agreed with many ideals of the Judas faith but he seemed nice enough. He too insisted she stay and let her body atrophy in bed while she recovered. So what if a murderous undead vampire out to get her, kidnapped her in her sleep? She was wounded and had to stay in bed.

She stood there frozen and when her mind caught up to herself she cursed quietly. Among traveling and meeting interesting people her vocabulary had grown. And she ran through everyone of them she knew. If they woke up now…

She began to close the door when she spied the table in the middle of the room. More specifically the things on it.

_Oh no…_ she thought horrorstruck. _Not there… they wouldn't… anywhere but there…_

She leaned against the door starring aghast at a pure sliver cross sword, two gleaming daggers, and a beat up bag on the table next to a lit candle. HER swords and HER daggers with HER bag of provisions. In this room that she would be discovered in if she stayed. Adan had remarked he was a light sleeper. Clearly he had been onto her from the start about sneaking out, and had moved them. Her eyes wandered down to the floor and if possible her horror grew. Right at the very foot of the bed at Adan's back was her boots newly cleaned. Adan snored and she stared at her leather boots at they sat there innocently, taunting her to come and get them.

Could leave them behind but it was unthinkable. The only thing she could think was _this is my worst idea ever._ Already regretting this she pushed the door open farther and the squeal of the door sounded unbearably loud like it was howling "AWAKEN ADAN!"

She stepped in and couldn't believe her rotten luck that the floor was also wood and squeaked as well. Worse was that the staff she used she didn't have a cloth to put on the bottom. This had to have been the height of her rotten luck. She debated with herself and decided to leave the worse for the last. She did her best to not lift her feet and just slid her feet along the floor. Her heart beat widely in her as anxiety crept in. finally after what seemed an eternity she reached the table and wrapped one arm around her ill gained staff. With the other hand she reached out and grabbed her bag.

Slowly pulling the strap over her head she began to lower it over her neck but stiffened when she heard a snort and someone tossing and turning on the bed. Her chest tightened with anxiety because she was certain he was awake. He didn't and slept on. Slowly she relaxed and took a breath. This was going to kill her nerves. Her hand was shaking like a leaf. Her continued lowering her arms and finally settled the bag around her neck. She stretched her arm out again and got her two daggers and placed them in the pack carefully but noticed how her food was starting to rot with green. It would have to be thrown out she noted with regret.

Then the hard part: her sword. It would clink and clank if she wasn't careful. The sheath and the belt for sheath were right next to the sword. She observed a chair next to it and moved to it with relief. She sat down and leaned back breathing heavily. Her legs hurt badly. She had been standing on them too long and they were exhausted. She was still tired. How was it possible? She had slept for three days straight and then lay in bed for more than three and a half awake. Her body was a little battered and haggard from the fever she had recovered from but she still shouldn't have been so tired.

She pulled the belt towards herself and leaned forward to fasten the clasp around her small waist. She eased it in and cringed at the click it made when it was settled around the space where her hips juncture with her stomach. Leaning over the table she tried to pull the sword to her with her fingertips and it grated over the wood. The apprehension back worse than ever and she felt like every time the blade scraped or made a noise it was screaming wake up calls to her kind but forceful caretakers.

_She is awake. _Grating noise_. Adan and Ise wake up! _Squealing as the tip scratched the table._ Just look at her! Too sick to leave and she is doing it anyways! _She lifted the blade off the table still dragging it slightly._ Wake up, the girl is getting away! _She leaned back and the chair she was in traitorously squeaked. _WAKE UP!_ She lifted the scabbard with the other hand and it clinked. _Stop her now!_ The knife's blade made a wretched noise as it slid in slowly. _**WAKE UP ADAN AND ISE!**_ Finally it clicked as the scabbard and the blade were completely reunited.

As always when things were going well for her it seemed a rule that something had to go wrong. She breathed a sigh of relief to soon because afterwards she saw it happen then. The staff she had forgotten for the moment was teetering as it stood on the end. It tilted forward slowly and started to fall. Her hand shot out to catch it and she caught the end only just scarcely just stopping it from knocking against the ground. Her heart was the thud of a stampede of horse hooves as she was frozen there listening for any signs of waking up. Adan seemed to snore on and Seras couldn't believe that Ise managed to sleep through it.

Sitting up and righting the staff she stood up grateful for the rest the chair had given her legs. She warily eyed the biggest challenge yet. The boots. She slowly traveled her way around the table with her nerves alight and taunt like violin wire. Her music locket bounced slightly on her neck as she moved. It was such a small room and yet it was taking forever. Finally she reached the bed. She crouched down and pinched her boots together with her thumb and forefinger.

She was just straightening when Adan's body turned over and she came face to face with him. She froze an inch away from his sleeping form. She could feel his breath on her cheek and she was not more than two hairsbreadths from his face as she stared at his forehead completely terrified. All it would take was one wrong move… her legs began to cramp as she crouched there frozen in position; back hunched, knees bent, her face a mere half inch from her sleeping caretakers gone captors, one hand tightly gripping the staff so hard her fist was white, and her other hand with the boots. He turned back over gripping his wife and soon to be child to him. She blushed as she realized Ise and Adan were naked together under the blankets. Feeling envious that she was looking at something that she couldn't have she turned to leave a feeling of panic and adrenalin coursing through her from the one-too-many close calls.

How she got out of there unnoticed Seras never knew but all she could be was grateful was Adan was exhausted from lovemaking. She had seen nothing indecent but that was the closest she had ever coming to seeing a man naked and her face burned in embarrassment. Quietly creeping to the door she pulled it shut.

Gleefully she sat down on the clod stone and pulled on he boots groaning in relief at the feel of them. They felt so good despite being an instrument that had rubbed her poor feet raw of skin only a week prior. It seemed her luck was turning around for once. The moon was out and she saw a third door that looked like it could be the way out. She hobbled on the walking stick and in no time made it to the door. She opened it and to her delight found it to be the kitchens. Good god her luck was looking up so fast it was frightening.

Quickly pulling out fresh bread and dried meats she found the cleanest rag she could and wrapped them cautiously. Excellent. It looked to be deer, maybe a stag. She cut herself a large slice of the dried meet and found it to be generously salted and seasoned. Her mouth watered and she bit down as she left the kitchens chewing. She looked around and was assaulted with memories as she saw the altar with a cross above it. The stain glass glowed slightly from the moonlight and she saw depictions of god and the crucifixion. She finished chewing and took a swig of water from the leather skin of water she had found in the kitchens. She saw the large double doors she had first come in from and cringed with fear of what she would have to do.

It was quiet out there. Much to quiet. Should she chance it? Her weakened body begged to go to bed and truthfully it was what she wanted as well but she had to go. This night. Now. Right now. Making her way between the pews not caring that the staff clicked on the floor echoing she reached the double doors and cursed. The lock. The wooden beam that locked the door. It looked very heavy in her weakened condition.

Shakily she reached out and pushed them up. Surprised at how light it was she moved it over and let it drop to the floor. Pushing the door out she reveled in the feeling of the hot night air and the freedom that lay just beyond the threshold. Gingerly stepping over the beam she made her way out and shut the door behind her. She gazed at the area dismayed there was no road but saw that to her left there was a dirt path. It leads west. _Perfect_. She'd eventually find a town that way and get a horse.

She balked at the idea but she had no choice. Shed rather have her steed midnight under her but even she had to admit that the horse had been aging. He had been getting to old and soon she wouldn't have been able to ride him. He wouldn't have been any better than for meat. She felt green at the idea of her beloved horse at a butcher shop. She sighed. A new horse then.

She scanned the tree line for HIM and didn't see anything. She grabbed her crucifix from beneath her dress and kissed it. She thought with a shiver.

_For the dead travel fast…_

Turning her way down she made for the path with her ears pricked and eyes wide open. Trying to see that red eerie glow of inhuman eyes. HIS eyes.

XxXxXx

He grinned, greatly entertained at this turn of events. During the lull of the daylight hours he had laid in his hellhound form listening to her voice. It had amused him greatly when she protested being kept in bed and she had insisted on leaving and continuing her journey. Earlier he had been in a bored stupor counting down the twenty-four hours he planned on letting her have before he would finally end the game and grab her, when he sensed her moving and awake. She had gotten up and was sneaking out. He had even watched her plight over her things in the priest and his wife's room and was entertained by her mind.

The fact that she was so embarrassed over seeing a covered man and knowing he was naked was very humorous to him. _Such an innocent virgin… _he mused, eyes dark with lust. He greatly looked forward to teaching her many things. He nearly let out a great bark of laughter as he watched her stumble around blind through the kitchens and trip over the door threshold in the dark.

When she had reached the doors and realized all her efforts were for naught because she was too weak to lift the beam barring the door he decided to help her rather than lay there and remain bored for the next dozen or so hours. He sent out a shadow to help her lift the beam and she was suspicious but he had managed to dull them by tugging on her mind momentarily. She stepped out and Alucard watched fro the shadows of the great oak. She was nervously looking around and he would have smirked if his form could have. He admired her form as she glowed in the moonlight.

Her hair shone a bright yellow light sunlight. It was short and Alucard found he had liked it better when she had long hair but it could easily be grown again. He still leered openly at her body because of the white dress and its revealing ways. He may hate the Judas priest and his wife but he would have to thank the wife for the dress. Pale skin and small body. Deliciously vulnerable. Fierce but she looked so meek. To him her appearance screamed prey to be devoured. But her fiery spirit was very appealing to him and while she had grown up she could play those mind games she did when she was younger.

She looked so fragile. Like a china doll. He examined her legs and felt very displeased with her stubbornness. She was still bandaged some and could barely stand. Even with that stick to support her, her legs quavered badly and she wobbled. He would have to watch her closely again. He pondered over it and found he wasn't surprised though.

_Humans…._ He thought _are such frail creatures…_

And they were. It was so easy to kill them. They had so many weaknesses it was amusing to him. He was always surprised they lasted so long and didn't die sooner. They couldn't be too hot or be too cold. They could not have too much or too little water or food for long. Then they needed certain amounts of a _specific type_ of food and couldn't have too much or too little of each kind of that food. They needed specific hours of sleep and it was always at night when the worst kind of predators was usually awake.

Couldn't see in the dark. They were slow creatures. They healed slowly. They moved slowly. They were even born slowly. They have skin so thin it is easy to cut them. They couldn't loose any amount of blood without fainting or dying, or have too much blood. They could fall and easily crack their heads. Their bones could break, necks snapped. Then there were infections and diseases they had to worry about. For them all it took was drinking some bad water or mistakenly eating the wrong kind of plant life. Worse yet were the other humans. They were a danger unto themselves. Then there was aging. They really were the most delicate living things.

Now vampires on the other hand, he found had simple needs. Battles, killing, mating and blood. Temperature was no bother to them because their bodies couldn't rot. No water or food, or specific types of food to worry about. Just blood. Delicious blood. For vampires when they got old enough they didn't need to sleep often and could stay awake for months. He could see in the dark and any damage he took he could just regenerate. No worrying about broken necks or stabs to the heart. At least for him. He wasn't king of the vampires for no reason. Such trivial wounds he could survive. No disease, all his enemies were to weak to challenge him and he would never age.

And while it never bothered him before that the humans were weak and short-lived fading beings it was despairing in this commiserating situation because the fever had nearly claimed Seras's life as she laid in the throws of the overheating. He had made it clear to his court that they were to receive willing permission of a human before being turned into a vampire but when he saw that she was near death he had nearly broken his own edict.

He watched in interest as she kissed a cross and says a phrase he recognized well with surprise. _She must have learned it from a gypsy_. She began walking in the direction of the town and silently he stood and sauntered after already looking forward to sundown. He could sense her darting around nervously because even though he was masking his presence she still sensed something. He licked his fangs eagerly and perked his dog ears to listen to her heartbeat.

He had chosen well. She sense he was there even though he was disguising his being there. Her heartbeat was the most beautiful torturous of symphonies. He had tasted her blood before and it was the sweetest he had ever tasted. Never had he tasted such delicious blood before. Her blood is good enough to get drunk off of, without wine to accompany it. He ached for a taste but consoled himself that to turn her he would have to suck her blood and he would get more of it soon enough.

He softly padded behind her, his predator coming out to stalk her. Her smell was intoxicating. Blood, scent, perfect body, fierce mind and the innocent voice and the innocence of herself all appealed to him. It was like she was born to be his. He couldn't wait to turn her and see her with red eyes. He lowly growled in frustration. She was very slow! He wanted her to get to town so she could find a hotel so he could sneak a taste in her sleep. He inwardly smirked. She wouldn't mind at all considering he had gotten a bite when she was younger and she enjoyed it. He knew what the bite did to the humans. The pleasure was very erotic for them.

Suddenly she stopped and whipped around, trying to look unafraid but he knew better. He realized she had heard his growl and he stood still waiting for her to continue. He was rather loosing patience with this. It was no fun. There was no cat and mouse game to amuse himself with. He could stalk but he was finding his twenty-four hour resolve irksome and irritating. He was an ageless creature and soon so would she but he had no patience. He would win her with the effort of hard work and much patience but neither would he let boredom or selfless ideals keep him from her.

She stood still for a moment warily trying to look through the gloom but could not see him. Cautiously she turned around and continued walking with him in step behind her. He could see the village and it would not be much longer until she reached it. There was a little inn there he could see and he approved because he could sense no men staying there.

Still, she needed a bed and the journey back to the Carpathian Mountains would be long and hard. She was far too haggard and fragile at the moment for any sort of travel, let alone the ridiculous journey to the little village near here. His foolish little creature. But no matter what she was all his. She didn't even understand the concept of carnal things nor did she realize what he wanted from her. She would be a fine mate. He imagined her eyes red and liked the image greatly. And then he imagined her round with child and liked it even more. His snouts nostrils flared as he imagined her writhing under him begging for more.

Lust burned through him at that image and he forced it down with regret. Not quite. First he would give her a turning mark and then a mate mark. He would make sure everyone understood she was his and anyone who challenged this would be decimated. No doubt there would be no challengers but they would want to confront him for Seras as a mate. She didn't seem to realize the effect she or her body had on men. While Alucard wasn't weak he was no exception. He also had some sort of attachment to her. This attachment went beyond just carnal lust but he wasn't sure how far it reached.

He continued to mull over his thoughts as she reached the outskirts of the village and then for the inn. His eyes lit up in anticipation. She really needed sleep and he would make her sleep. She needed it anyways but couldn't seem to take that room back at the church she had been given. He couldn't understand it but it seemed to be driving her stir-crazy. She paid for her room and got her key from the woman. Changing back to his human shape he patiently waited for her to change into her regular clothes from the bag. She collapsed on the bed exhausted and soon was asleep.

He grinned widely, his teeth begging for just a taste of delicious virgin blood.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

**PurgatoryNymphe**: no. **no**. _**no**_. no. no-no-no-no. noooooooooo. Hell no. super to the mega5000 hell no. no. first of all, when she was at Alucard's castle she was **seven**. 7. S-e-v-e-n. 7. Seven. **7**. See? _**7**_. This is what annoys me most of all. I put an author's note at the top to tell you all something important and do you read it? NOOOOooooooo. Straight to the story right? **No** pertinent information that could possibly be useful for you at the very top?

Should you read it? Yes. If you don't it leads to confusion like this:

**Has read A/N**: A/N: "Seras is seven. Blahblahblah. On to the story"

reader: oh, that makes sense.

**Hasn't read A/N**: wait, why is she flashing back? And Alucard thinks she five judging from her looks. Wait a sec-she is **waaay** to smart for a 4 or 5 yr old.

First off, there is no way in #%! I would ever make a four year old that mentally advanced. Never. I won't do it! It's just not done. It's in bad taste. _Unless_ Seras had some sort of super power as a human I will not ever have her with the mentality of a very clever eight year old in a four year olds body. It would be like having "Enders Game" mixed with vampires. It's a worse idea than sparkly vampires. Its like "the drunken mistake" bad.

Also, about the 'superior being'. That's also a big no. I described her as looking innocent and angelic. I never ever had said she was an angel. I don't mind when there are fanfictons where they have angels but something rubs me wrong about having Seras actually BE an angel. It's as horrifying to me as a crossover. Please read more carefully from now on. You seem to be suffering from an "I don't read carefully so I get the wrong idea from a half read sentence" disease.

Also I don't mind having a super ultra powered being in a story but that's usually just for fun for me. I don't actually like having overpowered characters. It feels wrong to me. Like I am genociding a storyline.

For those who want characters like Integra, Walter, Pip, Alexander, Maxwell and all the others in the story… *Evil smirk* (they so will never guess what I'm doing with that)

**dark vampire mistress**: sure. Hit me. (pm please.) In fact, I invite all of you Hellsing enthusiasts to send me your ideas. Me as a flawed being I am, I am bound to be good but there is always going to be someone better so I'm pretty sure everyone can come up with some really cosmic ideas. If you come up with an idea and I use it I'll give you credit. An honorable mention if you will. I only ask all of you guys(or ladies) out there to not post your ideas in the reviews but to pm it to me. It's a pain to have it on the reviews.

MEEP-MEEP! That's all folks! *cheesy loony toons bulls eye with porky the pig.*

-He will knock four times


	6. Chapter 6

**PurgatoryNymphe**: ACK! Another disadvantage of communicating via web discovered! When I got upset I wasn't loosing my cool over you and I am sorry for getting angry like that. There is no need for you to apologize. At all. Ever. I usually am pretty relaxed about everything and am enthusiastic about reviews, even flames. But now and then I get like this for no reason I can discern. Over zealousness on my part or I am just plain short tempered, I wonder. Sometimes I lament that with fanfiction the way it is you can never tell whether someone is angry at you, not angry, or angry at something else, or sad. You can never tell what facial expressions are being worn. So, once again, I must say sorry and you didn't offend me in the slightest.

_(no anger when this is written.)_

Now I must say that I understand your point about the ways of talking but, the thing is, in those days kids had to grow up hella fast because human beings didn't live very long in that time period. The average life span was… say... 28 to 32 at the oldest? It was common for women to have been married by eighteen or they were considered old spinsters (old ladies that are husbandless). So adults pushed kids of rich barons or whatever into learning fast and by the time they are six they usually were smart enough to have considered their childhood days 'over'. When I sat down to write this I tried to take all my history lessons into account. Never thought it would come in handy but it shows you its worth something after all.

(cool history lesson for everyone)

**Jeanne Antoinette Poisson or "The Madame De Pompadour" was born in France on 1721 and by the time she was six she could fluently speak French, English and Latin. She could recite entire plays by the time she was ten, play the clavichord and paint. By the time she was twelve she was a accomplished singer and her linguistic skills had German added to them. At fifteen she became an actor. When she was twenty she became the king of France's mistress. One hell of a woman right?**

_(again, no anger present when this is written. Just 'talking'/writing normally.)_

Seras is not a super powered person. I like the idea of just ordinary Seras doing what she can as a normal human (at least until she is a vampire and then we will see). Heavenly beings I never really think to put into fanfics. They are fine with me but I don't put them into the story unless some event forces me to add them.

**Sepsis**: you will understand the long hair thing later. It actually has importance. You know what? I think Ill put a little info thing before each flash so you guys can get a feel for things.

For now lets enjoy some fluffiness before the plot resumes! XP

(*sigh* annoyingly I have to do this. Blah blah. I am obligated to inform all those under 17 that this has highly sexual content blah blah blah fanfctiondotcom rules blah blah blah and that you should not be reading if you are under the age limit blah blah blah no one cares blah blah blah and that blah blah blah **children should not read** blah blah _we __**all know**__ your just going to ignore this warning and read anyways _… blah blah blah viewer discretion advised blah blah blah. This is rated Mature for a reason. Blah blah.

There. Are you happy? You rule sticklers and overprotective soccer moms? I can just hear all your complaints in my ear. Ooohhhh nooooo. Theres improper touching. To hell with it. You got a problem with Mature material go back to reading harry potter. Now for those of you who think this is a lemon… Nope. Not really. More of a lime. Just Alucard touching her in her sleep. I know what you're thinking. Daterape! Well, yeah… sort of. But that Alucard for you. No shame or morals what so ever. Does what ever the hell he wants. *evil face* **so if you plan to skip the citrus/lime stuff just skip this part and go to the next Author note in parenthesis below**.) the lime part will have a * before it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

He was enjoying this. There was no denying that the feeling was very pleasant. Very warm. He had his arms tightly wrapped around her soft form holding her back to his front. His legs twined around hers possessively. Her breathing had evened out and he was pleased to note that her breathing had gotten even easier. Her rib had been slightly damaged in the fall when he jumped at her horse playfully. It concerned him but all it took was a carefully placed shadow to set it back in place and for her body to do the rest. Her short hair spilled over her face and seemed to tickle her nose. He frowned at the pants and shirt she wore, already missing the revealing white dress.

The blanket she had neglected to cover herself with earlier was covering the both of him and Alucard couldn't wait for her to wake up and see this. The thing he wanted to see most when she comprehended her situation was the face. For now he was enjoying the feel of his arms around her, holding her tightly. He leaned in and smelled her neck. His tongue flicked it to taste the skin and he groaned at the flavor of just the delicate skin, not even blood. It was delectable and it made him even hungrier. He leaned in and ran the tip of his nose up and down her slender neck, listening to her heart begin to speed up slightly while he breathed in deeply the scent.

Eagerly his opened his mouth wide and at the base of her hairline dug his fangs in slightly and dragged them down. Her heart began to pound and the sound thrilled him. The scratches he made began to well blood and the smell alone made him want to drink her dry. But that would kill her and a small taste was all he would be able to do.

She murmured something in her sleep and he didn't catch it. He eagerly began lick slowly to heal the nicks and he smirked when he heard her moan softly in her sleep. His arm under her arm came up her front and lifted her head slightly, golden hair swaying with the motion. Curiously he let out his entire tongue to lick the entire length of her neck.

The effect was immediate. He head jerked towards his, and her body arched into him while her hand found his knee to grip. She trembled slightly and panted a bit. He grinned wide. He had known she enjoyed his bite but his hot tongue on her neck seemed to thrill her in delightful ways. He would have to keep it in mind for later.

It was not well known that vampires could bite without turning the bitten into a ghoul or a fellow vampire. To create a vampire the human had to drink the vampire's blood. Ghouls were usually from just biting but the human didn't have to turn because of the drinking. The vampire could control whether or not they became ghouls and the bloodlust enjoyed making them. No vampire knew exactly why when they went into a state of bloodlust that they created ghouls, they just did.

He turned his head sideways and dug his fangs into her jugular slightly. She moaned again, louder this time and he lightly sucked. He had to force his jaws to keep from biting down harder, like he always did when he bit her neck for a taste. He growled again from the taste. It was driving him wild. The sound of her heart like a frantic drum. Her moaning and arching her entire body, trying to shove her neck into his fangs further. The smell of her blood filling the air and the maddening taste of sweet, sweet copper flowing over his tongue and down his throat.

It all had to end soon enough. Regretfully he realized had taken a little too much in her weakened state and gently removed his fangs. He slowly licked at her neck savoring the taste once again. Adding it to memory over and over as he went to the other side and licked again, he set to healing the other side. The wounds closed and soon she only had four small welts. He lowered her head and wiped away her hair from her face. Her face was flushed from the pleasure. He smirked, feeling smug. Then a new smell reached him, coming from her.

His eyes widened for a moment before he looked for a moment at her hip. Then he burst out into low chuckles of amusement while she slept. No concept of carnal desire but she was feeling it now. This was new. He had bitten her before but she had not reacted this way. This was good. it meant his plans were working nicely. She still may not have realized but her heart and body certainly did. He moved his hand to her lower stomach and she moaned again, almost like she was begging. He started rubbing her stomach, making circles, and she lifted her hips up trying to get his hands to go lower. He laughed again with lust in his eyes as he stared at her sleeping face. She panted in her sleep and looked rather frustrated.

He wondered if he would go lower. He wanted to. Her arousal was clear and the smell of her liquid was making his thoughts muddled. She moaned again and it sounded like she was saying something. His other hand came up and shamelessly began to knead her breast. She cried out. Dammed he no longer cared! She was going to be his and he wanted to listen to her scream. She was deeply asleep anyways.

He slipped his hand lower under her pants and cupped her flower, enjoying the feel. She bucked against his hand and cried out. He could feel her wetness and moved his hand to her nub, rubbing it. She whimpered and arched into his hands. His other hand stopped kneading and moved under her shirt to her other breast. He pinched her nipples with his thumb and forefinger, rolling it. She cried out louder and panted.

He groaned as he felt his desire for her grow but forced it down before his lust made him do something rash. He could feel the muscles in her stomach beginning to tighten. He stopped rubbing her nub and moved down to her entrance. Rubbing her hole teasingly he looked at her face become disgruntled and her hips bucked in want. What happened next was something he never had thought would happen.

"Vlad please…" she moaned. He stopped. He looked and saw she was still asleep. He smirked wider. Calling out for him in this situation? Very good. Approvingly he slipped a finger in and moved his hand to the other nipple making it harden. He worked her body slowly and groaned as he felt her tight passage. So tight. Just a finger barely fit. He felt her smoothness and groaned again. He couldn't help but imagine what it would be like inside her, to take her virginity and listen to her scream. He gritted his teeth. Trying not to take her then and there. She whimpered in pain when he added another finger to her small body but the pain seemed to fade and she lifted her hips up, pushing against his fingers.

So wet and hot… her flesh felt like the sweetest of flames and her dripping slit was throbbing. Her muscles were tightening around the digits as he skillfully pumped them into her. He savored the noises she made. Every twitch and tremble, arch, moan and cry, pleasure spot of her small body he memorized and enjoyed greatly. She was very sensitive. Her body seemed more sensitive than any woman he had been with and it was made better that touching her eased the ache in his pants.

He curled his finger up and towards himself and she screamed slightly before she clamped on his finger. More hot liquid rushed onto his hand and he pulled his hands away. He licked his hands clean and growled lowly at the taste.

She was breathing heavily and shivering somewhat. Still asleep she snuggled closer into him and he grunted when her backside rubbed against his erection. He closed his pained eyes in denied pleasure. Not until she was a vampire could he do anything else except touch with his hands and he had been refraining from that until now. The smell had clouded his thoughts, made him act rashly but he couldn't bring himself to regret it. He was a man and he had been denying himself from her as best as he could.

Her flushed face and pounding heart was very attractive. It was too bad she would not remember this; her first orgasm. He smugly knew she enjoyed it. All his.

(**A/N: Okay, you prudes that skipped it. the lime stuff is over. plot can go on. Your poor, delicate, innocent minds can go on reading; undamaged**.)

He willed himself to calm down and he tried to force his erection away. Cold water was not for him. His thoughts cleared slowly and the ache disappeared very slowly. He raged at himself quietly over what could have happened if he had not been able to control himself. If she was taken before turned that's all she could become to him.

A human concubine. A short-lived pleasure that would age and die; nothing more than momentary satisfaction. She would never become a vampire. He would not do that. He _would_ make her his _**forever**_. She belonged to him and by calling out his name as he touched her in her sleep, even she knew it. She wanted him as well, she just didn't realize it. She was to be his and he would give her to no one. Even death. No man would touch her. He would punish any that tried. She is his.

He held her tight to him growling, "Mine!" His. All his and he would give her to no one. He looked at her soiled clothing in distaste. She dressed like a man because it was necessary for traveling but it did not suit him. He liked the dress. The very revealing dress. He eyed a wash tub in the corner of the room and grinned as an amusing idea came to him.

XxXxXxX

Warm… so warm… it felt safe too. How long had it been since she felt safe? Truly safe? Could she even remember what it felt like to _be_ safe? Like nothing would threaten her, and she could lie on a hilltop for hours without worry. Like when Vlad had not been chasing her? He would hold her close and all her worries disappeared. Always safe when he had been with her.

She recognized that she was asleep and felt supremely at peace. How was that possible? She hadn't felt that way since before her parents put her in the arranged marriage and Vlad still held her while she went to sleep. Always she would stay up late to talk with him about anything and when it became clear she couldn't stay awake any more he would carry her to bed and hold her while she slept.

She always resisted, wanting to stay awake spend as much time with him as possible and he would promise to visit her in the day, laughing all the while in amusement with that self-satisfied smirk of his. Then he would hold her with his arms and force her to lie on the bed until she fell asleep. It was always nice and she felt warm on the inside.

So warm… what was this feeling? Ah! She knew now. It had taken a while to remember the comfort of another being holding her. It felt like arms were around her… who was this? Oh! She was dreaming again. He was holding her while she slept again. She must be dreaming. She did that a lot these days. Mourning the loss of the old life. The life she had before and the empty existence now as a terrified drifter. She wanted him back. It was like she had two of him. Her Alucard. This Vlad.

Vlad is the creature that tormented her now and Alucard was the man she had that protected her and visited her every evening. Alucard, her secret friend. Alucard her imaginary friend. Then Alucard her real friend. Then Alucard her vampire protector. Then Alucard hr confident who listened to her. Then Alucard her teacher, friend, protector, happiest secret, and the person who hade her feel the happiest. Alucard who could be rough as the most jagged of knifes who was so gentle with her. Then this Vlad came. So alien and cold. What did he want? He wanted her… that was clear but how? In what way?

As if to answer her question the dream carried on without her. Alucard wanted her blood again. She could feel him sniffing her neck and as always she nervously consented to give it. He nosed her neck and she could see nothing in the dark space except feel his strong arms around her. She tensed in anticipation when she felt his fangs dig in slightly and cut her neck, but not drinking. He did that sometimes, just to lick her neck and heal it. It always felt… good… somehow to her. The feeling of his tongue sometimes made her feel like she was going to go wild.

His hands began to rub her hip slowly and he bit down sucking. Stars flashed in her vision and she couldn't contain a moan. It always felt good when he did this. His hand was still rubbing her hip but it moved to her stomach and started pressing down there rubbing. She had felt warm before but he started to feel like she was on fire. And water rushed between her legs. She felt heated in embarrassment. Was it that time of the month already?

But if felt so good… the pleasure she was experiencing from his rubbing made her clamp her legs together and she felt like she wanted.. wanted… what? He withdrew his fangs and the hand stopped rubbing. She wanted to whine and stop him from stopping. At least let the stomach rubbing continue. It was making her insides feel so good and warm. And she felt like she had water between her legs. She blood as she realized it must be that time of the month.

The dream felt so real… she heard him laugh quietly but she didn't understand the joke. The hand moved to her stomach again and he pressed down, making her insides feel like they were jumping in pleasure and she moaned again. He began rubbing again and she lost all sense of thought. But she felt dizzy from the blood loss. He had taken too much. Again. And she slept even deeper, and feeling weak but at peace. But again she dreamed. Her past haunted her like shameful secrets. Always there to scream at her for trying to forget.

(A/N: hate doing this but I have to from now on so people wont get confused. It breaks the flow of the story but what's a writer to do?

First off, Seras is born in 1784. That's important for you to know in these flashbacks.)

(Seras is thirteen in this flashback and the date is: 1797, December 12th.)

_She glared at __**it**__ in her hands. How could she not? It was the enemy. The LONG, yellow enemy. Her blue eyes flickered to her desk and she spotted her weapon of choice. __**They**__ wanted her to grow up the perfect little doll and __**they**__ wanted her to keep her enemy because it was 'proper for a lady'. No, she would not do it. She was her own person. Her hands reached out for the scissors and she used the comb to find the right hair length. _

_Shoulder length. right where her hair would begin its wave outward and her hair would be spiky. Like the edges of a fan. She smiled happily. Her hair was to wavy and thick to have long and it drove her insane to have to put it into a ribbons every day like her tutor instructed. The worst was the stick. She loathed the stick. It was an iron rod they placed in the fire and it heated while they wetted her hair down. It singed her always and she hated it. They used it on women to make their hair twist like clouds. It felt like little pins and needles on a long stick being dragged through her hair while she walked in a fire. So, she called it 'the stick'._

"_Il faut souffrir pour être belle", or so said the French._

"_You must suffer to be beautiful". The French were crazy._

_She began to close her fingers together to cut the ridiculously long hair off. It reached past her elbows and she wanted it gone. She didn't even hear him coming. He grabbed the hand with the scissors and pulled it back while wrapping an arm around her. She jumped and gave a small shriek. Ooohhh why did he do that all the time? Her hand went to her chest and she was furious as he laughed quietly._

"_Nine hells and a pit of thrice damned fire Vlad! Why must you sneak up on me at all hours of the day and night?" he chuckled again and leaned in, smelling her neck again._

_She groaned in annoyance. That's what he wanted? Again, so soon? _

"_Stop it Vlad. You're beginning to leave permanent marks. Mother noticed them while she was helping me lace my corset the other day and she is beginning to become suspicious that I am up to something scandalous when I couldn't explain how I had gotten them." She made a face at the thought of the horrible item in question. _

_Corsets! If ever was a torture device men created for women it was those blasted items!_

_He grabbed her chin and tilted her head back, grinning amused, having read her thoughts. He always said she thought to loudly."Yes you do my dear. Now, why do you insist on butchering your long beautiful hair?"He was looking interested at her face, a look of curiosity but also amused._

_She made a face. Not him too! She hated her long hair. Too thick and it took hours to brush through. Mother and tutor insisted on having it styled before she was allowed to leave the house even to go for a walk in the gardens. They kept her like a painted doll. The worst was the color. The bright gold color, like liquid fire from a forge. Black and brown was the predominant colors where she lived and she stood out like a beacon because of it. Anyone could point her out as the lady Victoria's duchess's and the professors daughter if she simply walked by. _

_She could just hear them now. 'Look there, see? There goes the lady Victoria. Look at that bright hair!' 'shhh! Don't offend her! Her mother I hear can get our taxes raised!' 'I hear her parents live up near the lake' 'I hear they __**own**__ the lake' 'never the less what's she doing here in the village without an escort?' 'I don't know' 'get a look at all that finery!' 'She can have any man she chooses when she turns sixteen' 'her children will have the brightest hair in all of eastern England!'_

_Hated being a painted doll with the long hair. Hated wearing the tight corsets where she could scarcely breathe let alone speak. And her voice… that wanted to make her cry. She was allowed no voice in the company of men unless they spoke to her. She was a woman. She was aloud no voice anymore. She had to be __**given**__ permission to speak now. Now that she was no longer a child. _

_Now that she was being told to grow up. Now that she was to leave the nursery and have a new room. Now a lady's room. Now that she had begun to be forced to wearing full length trainer gowns. Now that they smeared black charcoal on her eye lids and long lashes. Now that they crushed red rocks and mixed it with water to paint her lips. Now that they covered her face in powders that made her cough. Now that she wasn't allowed to cough because it was unladylike. Or to giggle. Or to laugh. Or to speak up. Or to run. Or to play. Now that she wasn't to leave the house without a parasol and two men accompanying her. Now that she was to wear boots that made her seem taller. Now that she wasn't to ride a horse any other way but side saddle. _

_Now that father kept hiring tutors to strangle the fire in her. The strong willed fire Vlad said she had. Now that she had governess Marguerite saying "no, no, no, you pronounce the proper French word 'noires' as 'n-w-ah-zz', __**not**__ 'nor-iz-ses'. Idiot girl, how will you learn French if you do not listen?" Now that her legs burned her and her hands were calloused from gripping the bar and bending her legs to learn ballet because tutor Jacques insisted she practice. Now that auntie Cookie constantly covered her hands in this horrible goop to heal the calluses because they were considered unattractive. Now that mother constantly had dreadfully dreary men coming to the house and be trying to spend time with her. Now that she saw men look at her in queer ways that she didn't understand, looks that felt indecent and made her blush for some reason she couldn't identify. _

_Now that she caught Vlad looking at her peculiarly now and then, just like the men on the streets did._

_Even without the corset to choke her like aunt Millicent's iron grip on her hands she felt like she was drowning. She could have screamed in a crowded room and no one would notice. She was a woman and as proper she had to stay quiet. Even when the men who thought themselves so masterful over everything so generously deigned to give her permission to speak she was not to speak louder than a whisper because it was improper to do otherwise._

'_proper'. She hated that word. Everyone used it now that her studies had begun. Ever since she had turned thirteen not more than a fortnight ago all she had heard was proper this and proper that, and ladylike this. Vlad had become her only solace. He was the last safe haven she had left and she felt terrified that he too would disappear because her childhood days had gone._

_He heard these thoughts and his grip on her tightened. "Very foolish little one. You think I would leave you? You are mistaken. I am with you to stay."_

_She felt a rush of gratitude and relief. She turned fully and tried to crush him in an embrace. She was close to tears but she forced them back. She was strong. As long as she had him she could be strong. She didn't need to cry. She could be strong. She __**would**__ be strong. He reached up and pets her hair like always. She looked at his face and could help but think that he looked handsome. Very masculine. She looked up and he was smirking in that way that made her nervous._

"_Would you like to play a game?"_

_Oh no! Not again! She just knew it would happen! A thrill of fear and intrigue ran up her spine. She could reject but his offer was really more of a polite front. When he asked she would say 'yes' but if she ever said 'no' he would find ways to play it with her anyways. They usually were harmless but very often there was a sort of lethal edge to them she didn't like. Most of the time he was triumphant but now and then again she bested him. His beautiful burning red eyes were looking at her expectantly as he read her thoughts. A knowing grin was curving his face as he arrogantly knew that she knew she had no choice._

_He leaned his and put it lips to her ear. Her heart sped up and she felt herself blush. He dragged his fangs against her neck and she resisted the urge to push against them. He breathed in hot air and blew it on her neck and she trembled. "Well, kitten? Do you want to play?"_

_She sighed in resignation. He always got his way no matter what. She felt him smirk against her neck in satisfaction at this thought. She whispered her answer._

"_Yes."_

The first thing she knew was that her eyes had snapped open. That was all. She squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them again and again trying to clear the fog. The arms around her were gone of course but she was missing them badly. She felt very well rested. And oddly… satisfied in a way. Like her body had been sated of something it wanted but hadn't gotten before. She felt very good just for waking up. Also she felt clean like she had bathed. But confusion and disorientation were the biggest factors.

Where was she this time?

She sat up slowly and raised her hand to her head to wipe the hair out of her eyes. She put her hand to her head and froze. Her eyes traveled to her wrist where the sleeve was. Red. A red lace sleeve. A sleeve that shouldn't have been there. Alertness shot through her and she suddenly remembered sneaking out and the journey, changing her clothes to a white linen shirt.

She looked down at herself and saw that she was wearing a lacy red velvet dress that went down to her toes and to her dismay she found her feet bare. Even the bandages were gone and her feet were healed. The dress made her feel naked. It was thin and a shameless red color. It hugged her tightly and made her feel like she was only in her underwear. Her bosom was barely covered because the cut of the dress was very low. The dress even had two slits up the sides that went to her hip.

What? What was this? She blushed profusely and hugged herself feeling scared and ashamed. Who had changed her clothes?

Then she saw the room itself and she goggled at it in shock. From the dimensions of the room she could tell it still was her hotel room that she had checked in last night but the bed had somehow been transformed into a king sized bed with rich black curtains. She looked at the wood floors ad saw that it was covered in crimson rose petals. The shabby walls were covered in dark red curtains and the room had been darkened with scant candles lighting it up. It felt dark, moody and secretive. On the table in the corner was a rose.

It was a black rose. Perfectly open and from the petals to the head to the stem it was a gleaming black color like brand new onyx that glistened. She had never seen one before except when…

"Hello little one…" her head shot to the corner where an armchair she hadn't noticed was. There he was. Gleaming red eyes like incandescent red wine, black hair like raven feathers and pale skin like milk. He was grinning like always and his fangs were in full display. "I rather enjoyed this game. Now as for my prize…"


	7. Chapter 7

**PurgatoryNymphe**: good point my friend. I'm going to go back and fix it. About the lime warning, going to fix that too but the story is regularly appropriate except for those few scant hints here and there of gore. I just figured for all the minors Id mark where the *scarcastic airquotes* 'dirty' stuff began and ended so that they could skip it and continue reading on their merry way. Or at least as merry they can be reading about a homicidal-vampire-that-is-stalking-the-girl-he-practically-raised-intent-on-turning-her-into-a-vampire.

As for the name… whose to say I'm not? Haha. Hahahahahah. Mwhuahahahahahahhahah! No, but seriously people. You never know so remember to never meet people you met on the internet without informing someone and then having another person come with you. The name though… Its actually a doctor who reference. Doctor who episode 'planet of the dead'.

As for my depravity… *smirks* man, I fell down that road so hard and fast way even before I had ever heard of fanfiction, the ipod and youtube. I'm a pervert. We all are. Some people just won't admit it. I just enjoy my perversity because it makes the world a whole lot more fun when you can admit something about yourself. And the filthy jokes you can tell are hilarious.

I've noticed the prude vs. the crude. It's as pointless and aggravating as whether or not 'We are the fallen' or "Ferngully' are copycats of "evanescence' and "Avatar". Not everyone wants to walk around with purity rings. The world isn't full of Jonas brothers and saints. Even the purest of men can have filthy crude thoughts. If you know what I mean… rolf.

**ani-cat-candy**: Oh noeeesss. To many cookies. They worked to well. I can write great! *Sob* Cant make it out of bed… so many brilliant ideas and the computer is right there… taunting me. Lolz.

**Sepsis**: oh you know men. Walk around more with their lower half on the agenda than with the top half should use to think. Yep. Glad you're enjoying it.

Well, lets stop hearing me go blah blah yeah? Storytime!

XxxxxxxXxxxxXxxxtoastxxxxX

Being on the verge of hyperventilating wouldn't begin to cover the kind of unease she was experiencing. Sheer full blown bloody panic was more like it. She really had the most rotten luck. Her first thought was to defend herself. She dove behind her looking for her dagger that should have been under her pillow, hoping he had somehow missed it. He hadn't.

Of course. Oh _of course_ he hadn't. Because that was the extent of her luck. She had apparently used all of it up with the close calls in the house of worship earlier. She sat back down and faced him as he looked on amused. Just sitting there with a leg casually crossed over and his other gloved hand holding his face, fingers splayed over the eyes. His smirk widened making him look like a cat playing with the mouse at his leisure. She took a deep breath to calm down because there was no way in hell it would help to go into hysterics.

She started to feel sullen. She couldn't help it. All that fear and panic from the last year and a half for no reason. The worry. The nightmares. Her beloved horse. The pain. Training. For nothing. She knew the pity was pathetic and shameful but she petulantly felt she had a right to despair at her situation for just a moment. Husbandless. She was to die old and alone. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.

Then she felt fear. What was going to happen now? 'What do you want from me?' She had no idea what plans he had because he always just laughed when she asked. He just chased. She just ran. Her stomach balled into knots. Her chest screamed songs of discordant drum patters. Her mind screamed 'RUN' while her anger shrieked to fight. What was going to happen? She didn't know and that terrified her. Which made her defensive. He had caught her.

Then she felt angry. No! She refused to just give up like that! What? Was she just supposed to lay down and die because things were _too hard_? She had learned better than that! She wasn't going to roll over. She was scared and she was getting angry because of it. Wasn't he going to say something? That made her angriest of all. He was just letting her stew in her fear of confusion and anger. With that smirk on his face no less.

Forcing back her fear she reviewed her options but they were still bleak ones. Run? Unlikely he could catch her before she so much as twitched her foot. Outsmart him? Possible but he could jut cheat and read her thoughts which he no doubt was doing now if the look on his face was anything to go by. She could fight him but her sword was no where to be seen and no woman could be taken seriously or be threatening in this dress. The scarlet dress… she felt nude in it. In fact she though being naked could be only a little more revealing than this scandalous pretext for attire.

Why had he put her in it? She wasn't at fault but she still felt ashamed for being in it. She felt like a whore.

Suddenly he was behind her pulling her against his chest. Too surprised to do anything she held still as he wrapped his arm around her and brought his other hand to tilt her head back with his thumb and fore fingers so she could look into his eyes. He was looking intently at her. The gaze was so intense it made her keep looking and want to look away at the same time. She was captivated by his stare that she couldn't do anything back **but** stare. She had to keep her head tilted back dramatically to meet his eyes. Still so damn tall and she was still so damn short.

"Seras… you are not a whore." She blinked in surprise. He **had** been reading her thoughts. But why was he finding it so important to make sure she knew she wasn't a whore? His fingers tightened. "You have not seen a man naked nor have you even kissed one. You are not a whore. A whore gives herself to many and you have given yourself to no one."

She felt confuse and her unease was growing. That look… she wasn't sure how to feel about it. She had seen it before in his eyes when he looked at her. It scared her somewhat and mostly what scared her was that she could not understand what it was. What emotion was he looking at her now with? Happy? No, he wasn't looking crazed or killing something. Amused? A little but that wasn't the emotion she was trying to figure out. Angry? No she had definitely seen that and it looked nothing like that. Sad? She struggled over it and decided sad wasn't the right label for it either.

He had caught all these thoughts and leaned in, smelling her hair. His domineering grip on her tightened. She still didn't know what he wanted but despaired that she had been caught. He chuckled hearing this and turned her around making sure to hold her tightly in his grasp once again. "Still my innocent little kitten I see."

Anger flared at this and she spoke knowing without care that her temper was getting the best of her. "How do you expect me to know what you want when you don't tell me anything? For that matter why should I go along with anything you say just because you- mphmmh!"

She could have been told the sky was falling and she wouldn't have been surprised in comparison to this. The inn could have burned around them and she would still be standing there frozen like stone. His lips gently melded over her moving against her still ones. She felt his hand come up to press their heads together softly. Her head was going pleasantly blank and she was starting to forget why she was here and if up was the ceiling or the floor. She was thrilled and happy. She felt joy at this.

She was enjoying this. She started moving her lips against his, albeit clumsily, trying to copy the movements he did to hers. Suddenly the kiss turned aggressive as he felt her finally respond. She snaked her arms around her neck feeling like she couldn't get close enough. She felt something probing at her lips and he felt confused. Her eyes shot open as she realized it was his tongue. She tried to open her mouth to ask what he was doing but that was all she needed. His tongue moved inside her mouth taking control and their tongues danced. Incredibly it felt even better with the tongue. She was trying not to cut her own on his fangs.

Logic was screaming her to stop and sense snapped back into place. What was she doing? She stopped kissing back and pushed against his chest. His tongue went deep into her throat and pleasure from this made stars burst into her vision. She started feeling hot. Hot in her stomach and positively blazing between her legs. What was this ache? She was aching and burning inside her stomach. God she wanted to burn. She wanted him to stop and keep going. His tongue keeps moving in her throat and the pleasure from it was making her moan. But she needed air. He heard this and pulled back looking satisfied at her panting and flushed cheeks.

He leaned in and whispered hotly onto her neck and she swooned slightly. "Now do you understand?"

That's how he viewed her? As a man to a woman? She had no idea. Suddenly she had found her label. The look was desire. He wanted her as a woman. But he wanted her as what?

She had heard of the culture of the vampiress and the idea of being a concubine sickened her. She wanted a husband not a harem! The males had three, four and sometimes as many as six woman for themselves! Loveless. A plaything. He wanted her to be his plaything…

No! no, no, no. she wouldn't be a toy. She wouldn't be a whore. She began struggling with tears in her eyes. His arms held her and like the day her parents died she was exhausting her strength uselessly. He listened to the direction of her thoughts with a frown and she could not get her chin out of his fingers making her struggles awkward.

A plaything. Why did that thought hurt so much? Why did she feel so sad? Why did the idea of him wanting her that way hurt? Was it because he respected her so little and thought she would go along with his plan? Was it because that was the reason he would allow her no man to love and be loved in return? She didn't know why but her heart was breaking and her struggles faded as she began to weep silently. A nightly amusement. She was to become a toy for fornicating. There would be no love making. A plaything. She would just become a personal whore in his eyes.

He snarled darkly at this thought and pushed her onto the bed with his face inches from hers angrily. His voice was harsh and low with his eyes full of rage. "Have I not said you are not a whore? You are mine and I will treat you as mine! I told you a whore gives herself too many and I will allow no one else to have you!"

She laid there flat on her back unmoving. What was she to say? Things started to make sense a little more. The reason he raged at James so much. The reason sweet Dawson from down the road on the sheep farm disappeared one night after he had given her roses and asked her parents if he could come calling for her. The reason he glared at any man who looked at her. The reason some of mothers suitors who she had looked at with interest went missing. The reason he stayed with her all these years and protected her. Those looks in his eyes. The roses. The gifts. The beautiful black roses. The tender way he held her. The meaning behind the word 'mine' and what he meant by it.

He smiled satisfied and leaned closer nuzzling her neck and his hand came up to stroke her cheek.. "So the innocent kitten finally understands? You are mine and I intend to keep you."

_Keep me? …. He wants to 'keep me'?_

She stared at the canopy her heart sinking again. She had heard that sentiment before from another. Mother and father. They had 'kept' her before. Like a porcelain china doll. With the perfect hair and the silent face. The painted lips and the depressed black beads for eyes. The eyes that seemed to scream at her nightly for someone to take her down from the shelf. The ones father had brought for her but put on a little shelf where no one could reach and hold in a comforting way. A toy. A plaything. A little silent doll that never spoke back and had no freedom over its actions except what the child holding it wished…

No… no? no? yes. Yes! Yes, yes that the answer was no. no. she was no ones doll! NO! NO! NO!

That simple thought gave her will again. Determination blazed hotter. She felt exhilarated at the freedom of that thought. NO! How beautiful it was. How glorious to defy someone. Anyone and be herself. She refused to just lie down. She would war against him and show that she was not the meek woman who gave in just because someone said it was 'proper' to do so. He had claimed that if he caught her in this game she was his. She was not. He said she was but she defied that thought. She would not just give in and accept it because he said it was so.

"No." she whispered fearfully but determined. She made fists to grip on her dying courage.

He stopped nuzzling her neck affectionately and lifted his head to look at her. His eyes were narrowed dangerously like maddened slits of rage. His hands slowly but ominously went to her wrists and pressed them into the bed gripping them possessively. His legs went on either side on her hips and he leaned his chest arced over hers with his head inches from her face as he bared his fangs angrily. His hair finished as it tumbled down onto hers and the cage of flesh was completed.

She felt trapped and helpless. She felt like he was dominating her entire being and possessing her. She trembled in fear as he angrily growled out his words. It was a quiet hiss, low and laced with promise if she did not change her declaration. "_WHAT_… DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME?" his grip tightened and she whimpered in pain at her aching wrists.

Terror beyond terror could not describe the fear she felt. She desperately wanted to cave into his demands if only to avoid his wrath. Her daring was fading fast and her heart beat with adrenalin and fright in the face of this unearthly creature. Alucard was gone and Vlad was back.

His rage was consuming him fast and his fury at her open refusal showed and his head thrust even closer as he snarled again. She quaked and trembled and her knees went shikity-shake and her heart screamed in fear going _bmb-bmb-bmb-bmb_ like frenzied bird wings. But she steeled herself and stood firm. If she failed herself she would forever be a little bird in a gilded cage for the rest of her life.

Her voice wavered and it was the best she could manage was a strained whisper that stuttered. "I… I s-said… 'N-no'. I will n-n-not c-come with y-you."

He roared and flattened himself on her, further pressing her into the bed. "Insolent girl! You will not say no to me! I will give you no choice in the matter! YOU ARE COMING WITH ME AND YOU WILL OBEY!"

She whimpered trying to muster the courage to say no again but his fangs dug into her neck harshly and she cried out in terror. All his previous gentleness was gone as he kept her pinned down and dragged his incisors along her pulse point and she felt weaker. She tried to struggle again but he snarled and looked into her eyes. His eyes swirled red ager and power.

She tried to close them or look away but she couldn't move. Or think. She struggled to form thought or a memory to explain this but couldn't. She didn't struggle now. Why would she? She wanted this… …. No, something was diffidently wrong. No, that was silly; everything was just fine. After all… What threat was the creature above her? No. she couldn't control her body but she frowned. She knew this man, didn't she? He was a threat. He had abilities. Right? No. Yes. No! Yes! She didn't know. She couldn't remember. She felt an oppressive presence in her head and her mind clouded over some more.

His voice entered her mind and comforted her. Suddenly she felt drowsy. It slinked through her head softly, whispering sweetly. _**Relax Seras… Go to sleep… that's it love... Sleep my dear… you are such a good girl… will you be a goog girl and go to sleep for me? Can you feel the warmth and the pleasant feeling of sweet dreams? Yeeesssss…. You are mine… Thhhaaaat's it… Sleeeep my pet… sleeeeeeep…**_

His? Oh, of course she was his. Naturally she belonged to him. How silly to think otherwise. She sensed him smiling at this thought and was happy to have pleased him. She felt her head being stroked softly in approval and her legs moved up to her chest for some slumber. She couldn't look at anything but the eyes. And it was pleasant with the warm body above her comforting her. Agreeably she laid there feeling rather content. She would do anything for this creature. Creature? No, he was a handsome man. Kind and sweet. Of course she would sleep for him. How could she refuse? His eyes. He had such pretty eyes that she stared into them deeply of her own will. _Pretty dark red eyes_. She loved looking into them.

Wait… no. no… something was wrong! Something was wrong? Yes…. Something wrong. Something was definitely wrong. She felt like she had thought that before. Her head was blank and she struggled. Suddenly she felt scared and didn't like the pretty red eyes as much as before. Something told her to look away but she couldn't. No. she definitely was scared of the red eyes. Her eyes drooped but she forced them open. The oppressive feeling in her mind grew stronger still and her eyes began to close.

This was all wrong! …. Wrong. Something about it being wrong. Had she thought that before? Why? Everything was wonderful. It was lovely. A voice within her mind told her to relax and sleep. That there was nothing to fear. She was safe now. she would need not worry about anything. She could sleep and he would take care of the rest.

Shhhhh… you are so tired love… of course you need sleep… sleep now… that it… go to sleep… the voice

She sighed ready to close her eyes. NO! She remembered saying 'no' for a moment before her mind blurred. Oh, the red eyes were such a sweet color… she wanted to see the rest of his face if his eyes were that beautiful… she tried to move only to realize she couldn't look away. She silently screamed within her own head and vainly fought for control.

Suddenly she felt afraid and didn't like the pretty red eyes as much as before. … What? Hadn't she thought that before? She managed to fight the sleep for a minute longer before she sighed happily and finally relaxed, lost in those brilliantly colored red eyes. She yawned sleepily and felt herself being drawn into his arms. She found she had control of her arms and moved them up to hug him as she snuggled closer. Satisfyingly she felt herself start to dream as her eyes slid shut.

_**Such pretty eyes…**_

_Her frilly whit dress bounced. Her black boots clicked. She giggled mischievously hiding behind a wooden cargo box. Her target was right there at the tent bent over a map with the rest of the grownups. Father had told her to sleep but she couldn't. This was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to her. She had made a friend! She couldn't wait to tell him! She would prove that she was telling the truth about the pale people in the windows._

_She watched her father talk with the adults and pouted slightly. He was so busy… she felt lonely and wanted to be with Maria playing princesses and ogres. She watched father starting to feel bored. She could play with ropes but she had done that all day before deciding to find a way inside the castle. Father had said not to enter because it was dangerous but when she had seen the small little door she couldn't help it._

_The adults got up from the table and walked away yawning. Excitement flooded her and she bounced forward bursting at the seems ready to tell him her good news. Her father noticed her and smiled. He held out his arms like always and she ran forward to him laughing as he pulled her up onto his lap. Her father groaned._

"_Princess you're getting to big for me."_

"_Father! I made a friend!_


	8. Chapter 8

**dark vampire mistress**: that was the first lime or lemon related thing I have ever written. But I guess I did something right. fantastic idea but the whole reason I like pm-ing is that if you announce it via review and I use it, there is no surprise when people come to read it. They already know. It's a good idea but I'm not sure I'll use it. It's against the grain but I like the dark side involved. Which leaves me the conundrum of whether to use it or not… hmmm… this is going to take a lot of thought….

**WiccaSilverFox**: Gasp! You're dying? OH GOD NO! IT'S ALL MY FUALT! How am I supposed to have readers if they are dropping like flies? Quick! Stay away from the light! And if you see Michael Jackson and you are a little boy… RUN!

**Sepsis**: it's more like he wants her to be able to take care of herself when he's not around but he wants to be in control of her in general. I can't say much more on the matter except that there will be a chapter delving into this soon.

X*8X*88X8

Brown. Yes, brown. Definitely a dark brown. With striated lines and clear cut slits between them. Weather worn and hard looking. The object in question identified it was realized that they were wood. She blinked. What?

She didn't remember waking up just that she laid there confused and disorientated. Even then she didn't realize it. Slowly she began to realize she had a body. First she could feel her fingers. And then a wrist. And her elbow. Before her shoulders were made known. She realized what position her arms were in. Her arms bent straight out and bent at the elbows so that her hands laid by her head on either side while she laid on her back.

Back? Oh… that's right. She had a back. Feelings came back into her spine at this realization but it was the oddest feelings like tingling pins and needles. And then she could feel her neck. Then her knees and then her feet. Her toes were the last to come into being for her. Yet she did not move. She couldn't seem to and it didn't concern her.

She blinked staring sideways past her fingertips, trying to figure out what was going on. She couldn't think or form thought so it was very difficult. She felt so heavy. As if she was and wasn't there. At least she felt warm and sunny.

Hmm? Sunny… yes… light. She realized it was bright out. And warm. She was… outside? Suddenly she could hear things now. It was dull and muted at first but her sense of hearing came to her slowly. For a moment she thought she was hearing the ticking of a small pocket watch. Her fathers pocket watch. Tick-tic-tick-tic. But that wasn't right. It was now a furious clicking of a grandfather clock. Dawson's grandfather clock. Toc-olck-toc-olck. No, that wasn't it either. It was a hammer on an anvil. Glang-bang-glang-tink-bang. No, no, no. it was quieter than that. It was a clop-clip-thudd-thudd-clip-clop. It beat on the drum and dreamily she admired the beat of the familiar sound she couldn't recognize.

Then she realized other sounds, smaller ones and bigger ones. Ones she had no trouble identifying. The sound of a spoke wriggling inside the wheel and the wheel flicking up rocks and gravel beneath it. The rocks clacked to the ground like a stream of water. Tople-click-gack-tic. She heard huffing of some animal breathing hard. Huff-shuff-huff-huff-shuff. The creaking and groaning of wood and a rattle of a wagon as it swayed back and forth.

Swaying? It was swaying? Slowly she comprehended that for the wagon to be swaying she must be in motion, or at least the wagon was. Yes, she was moving. She blinked again. Her head moved without her and she felt a mass of hair beneath her. Now she was staring up at the sky. Black and gold and blue. It was like looking at a before and after in a horror story. The sky burned with smoky black clouds that were slowly rolling in and the sunlight with the blue sky vainly fought for dominance over the heavens.

At that moment she managed to experience things other than her body just in time to wish she hadn't. She was cold on her face. She shivered. Why was it so cold? And for that matter why was it still so warm at the same time? She realized the heaviness then was a blanket and that she was laying on the hard wood surface of a wagon. She watched the tops of trees fly past with the sky in the middle. The perfect lines made from the trees bothered her for some reason.

It wasn't that the trees were completely perfect. It was that they seemed to be an even distance apart on either side. It was a gap. A road? Yes. A road. She was in a wagon on a road. She blinked again. Then again. Where was she? Who was driving? driving? oh! OH! A wagon. He was in a wagon. oh…. There were dark clouds above her… wait… déjà vu… certainly she had thought that before…

She tried to move but felt she couldn't so she relaxed once more. Her stomach hurt. Oh. She must be hungry. Where was she? How did she get here? Who was driving? Where were they headed?

She frowned and then realized she could at least control her face. _Something is wrong_… what? She was certain she had thought that before… she struggled with it, grappling for a memory to explain her existence but it slipped away. She couldn't remember anything. She was certain she had memories but it was as if something was keeping her from remembering them. No it was- …. ….. …. No? Something about how wonderful the word 'no' is…

She was sure of it. The word 'no' was important. Her mind felt like it was swirling but she held fast to that thought so as not to forget. Her eyes searched the skies above. For what she knew not. Eyes… yes. That's right. She remembered now. Something about eyes. Pretty eyes. Such pretty red eyes. The feeling in her head grew stronger and tried to wipe it away but she fought back and held fast. Like a little spider was in her head tickling her brain and forming things to its liking. She grits her teeth in frustration. Why couldn't she remember anything?

She? Yes she was a woman. But who was she? She couldn't remember. Couldn't remember? Had she thought that once before? She was certain she had. In her moment of confusion the spider won and she blinked. The sky above her looked like it was going to rain. She was laying on her back on something hard. She could here pounding of something.

Had she not been here before? Where was she? She smiled dreamily, admiring the beat of the horses hoofs. AH! Hoofs. That was the noise she kept hearing. The pounding of their shodded hoofs and the wheels clicking up rocks and dust. She gazed at the treetops feeling like something was wrong with the way they were close together. Wrong? She had thought this before. Hadn't she? Something was wrong. Something wrong. She furrowed her eyes brows trying to understand but there was some tendril in her head that told her to forget about it. Unimportant.

No it was important. She felt herself gasp. It wasn't that it was important! The word 'no' was important! More important than anything. She felt a headache coming on. Why, why, why was it important? The tendril pressed on mind insisting that she forget it. She felt annoyed. The more it wanted her to forget the more obstinate she became about remembering. She wouldn't let anyone tell her how to be. She would remember and teach them all to treat her like a mindless doll.

Dolls. Dolls. Cutting hair. Castles. Dogs chasing her. Want to play a game? Run!

Memories flooded her brain as she finally got rid of the spider. She clutched her head, her knees pressed firmly to her chest. She screamed in pain.

fourth birthday. Daddy… do you have to go to Egypt? Fifth birthday. Daddys back! Maria! I wish I could take you on the trip with daddy to Romania! Sixth birthday today! Packing. The train. The boat. The carriage. The train again. The mountains. The pale people in the windows with the red eyes. Alucard. Father accusing her of lying. Alucard again. The trip home. Sleeping in bed. Wake up. Alucard is there. Visits every night now. Talks with me. Maria doesn't believe me. Doesn't want to be my firend anymore. She hates me. So lonely. Turned seven. Alucard is there. Walk in the garden with me kitten. Turned eight. Play with me. Shall I tell you about my race? Turned ten. He nuzzled her neck and asked for some blood. We vampires love the blood of virgins.

Turned eleven. Men have me! Help me Alucard! Turned twelve. "And the Lord visited Eve with the curse, and the curse was the curse of blood!" Alucard laughing at her as she lay on her bed clutching her stomach in pain, her legs clenched together. Turned thirteen. Men starting to look at her strange. Alucard looking at her strange. Turned fourteen. Want to play a game? Silver can help protect you when I am not around. Mothers suitors are so boring. Turned fifteen. Alucard, I'm worried. Dawson gave me flowers and said he wanted to come calling. He went missing yesterday. He grins, licking his lips maliciously. Don't worry about it kitten. I'm **_sure_** he is just _fine_.

Turned sixteen. Seras! You are of an age you should have chosen a spouse a long time ago. Now you are sixteen with no husband. Choose quickly or you will be an old maid. I would not bear the shame of having a spinster for a daughter. But mother I don't want to be given away like I am nothing. That doesn't matter. Mother… don't you love me anymore? Father wont look at me. Alucard still looks at her strongly. Take my hand dear. I will keep you safe. Even if they don't, I care.

Turned seventeen. Met James. Seems kind. You waited too long daughter. We have arranged a marriage for you. Alucard visited again. What's that on your finger? You will not be touched by any other man, Seras! I will not allow it! I don't think James is a kind as he seems on the surface. Alucard is nice again but he demands the marriage be called off. Mother is terrified. Father is angry I didn't tell him. I explain they would not have believed me. Call me daft. Would have thought me mad as a hatter. Jasper, Bella, Mary and even auntie cookie won't look at me. I hear them whisper that I made a deal with the devil. The twins talk behind my back of witchcraft and blood spells. Jack won't let her near her beloved horses because she might infect them with evil sickness.

Crying herself to sleep with Alucard petting her hair soothingly. Even little Ben wont come near me. Yesterday he looked at me like I was unnatural! The villagers caught wind and spit on her when she walked through own. James still gives her flowers and wants to court her despite the rumors. Alucard sees the wisterias and crushes them under his foot. Alucard and James are the only ones who care anymore! So why is it that I don't care about James? I feel so guilty. Every time I am with James when he comes calling I think of Alucard for some reason. I blush when he is near and feel nervous.

Seventeen and a half. You will marry him! But mother- no buts! The dinner! The exorcism. Parents gone. Blood. Ghouls. Everyone's gone. Vlad did it. She ran. Found a town. Vlad again. Ran. The disastrous train. The boat. France. Don't deny me you whore. Alucard saved her. Killed a man to do it. She ran. Vlad chased her.

Found another city to hide in. Vlad nearly got her. Man saves her. He smiles. Bloody hell you are good with a sword my lady, my name is Francis. That beast following you… No, don't follow me. You will be killed. I must come with. But… alright… He's dead. It's my fault. Vlad killed him because of me. Ran again. Notre dome. Gypsy city. Cutting her hair. Dress like a boy no one will see me. Wear a black hooded cloak. I need work. You can dance with us on the streets. Yes, I can play the lute. I tell them my name is Allen-a-dale. They laugh at my obvious pun of a pseudonym. Two months. Did you hear a man was found drained of blood in the city this morning? Scary. Where are you going Allen? Vlad found her. Couldn't stay here. Ride Nightshade! Need sleep.

Vlad is there. In his dog form. I'm so sorry I left you behind. Running on foot instead of her mare. The church. Adan. The hotel. Alucard has her. Alucard wants her as a woman. I intend to keep you. No. yes, the answer was no. no. no. no. no ones doll. Warm… pretty red eyes… no. no. I'm scared of the pretty eyes. I don't like them anymore. Can't look away. So sleepy… something's wrong. Close her eyes for a minute. Couldn't hurt…

She gripped her head trembling. She felt sick. She retched but here was nothing to get rid of. The wagon had stopped and someone was holding her. She felt her neck being nuzzled and a large hand rubbing her back to rid herself of the sickness. A mans hand. The headache slowly disappeared. Leaving a dull throb she heard him speak. Chastising her.

"Foolish kitten, you should not have done that. It hurts you, you know. I would have given you back your mind once we arrived."

She groaned. Her stomach felt like it was swirling low in her stomach. Her throat felt like it was raising her stomach, and she throbbed. She coughed. She was so hungry but there was no way she could keep anything down. He rubbed her back more vigorously and it helped her stomach. She knew she should have been more concerned with getting away but she couldn't care at all with her vision swimming and her head aching like this. She felt something warm being pressed to her lips and she shook her head.

Didn't he understand she wouldn't be able to eat in this state? He shoved it against her lips more insistently and she resignedly opened her mouth to take a bite. Fully prepare to heave up the bread again she chewed and swallowed, enjoying the warm taste. Bread. Smelled like mother. Surprisingly the bread calmed her heaving stomach and she felt better. But the dizziness remained so she kept her eyes squeezed shut and rubbed her head.

He held her gently and she felt him move a lock of her hair behind an ear. She raised a hand to swat at him crossly and was angry when she missed. He laughed. She huffed annoyed. She saw a red sleeve and realized he must be wearing his red fedora and cloak. Such a gaudy scarlet color. She groaned. Very dizzy…

"Are you trying to fight me dear? You realize I've taken away that amusing little silver dagger of yours? It would be very humorous way to die but you would have to kick me to death."

Yes and she knew exactly where the first place she wanted to kick him was. Higher than the knees and lower than the belt. He heard this thought and roared with laughter again. She shivered and realized she had changed dresses again. This one was more modest as she could feel the long sleeves and the tight neckline. But he had still undressed her to put it on. Her face was burning red and she forgot all else except that concept. He had changed her clothes? Again? He laughed a great bark of mirth at this. He nuzzled her cheek before speaking as she kept her eyes squeezed shut to rid her of the giddy sensations.

"While I would love to say I had seen you laid bare dear, as it would be a sinfully enjoyable sight, I regret to say that I only used my powers to form garments on you." He kissed her neck and licked the shell of her ear and she gasped. "Of course there will be time for me to see you unclothed later." He whispered in her ear and she squeaked, flushed. He laughed.

How dare he? She would not be undressing for anyone! She was aflame in embarrassment at the very idea. For that matter she was not going anywhere either. As soon as she could manage to stand on two feet she was getting out of here, wherever 'here' was, and leaving. He hugged her closer to whisper in her other ear, clucking disapprovingly.

"Now, now Seras. You are just being willful. You will come to see things my way soon enough pet."

"See this." She swung out her fist trying to hit him. He just chuckled, grabbed her fist and kissed her fingers. His other hand tapped her on the nose like she was a child.

"Saucy girl." This time he nipped her ear and she jumped. "Of, course that's just what I like about you. Always have a challenge in store and no one can control you. I love that fire. Missed it even. When that father of yours nearly succeeded in stamping it out of you. I am pleased to see it back." He began to kiss her neck and sucked on it, not even biting down. His tongue licking it. Her eyes shot open and she couldn't believe how good it felt. His tongue running up and down her neck made her feel like she was going wild!

At first she thought she was crying. But another drop fell in front of her. And then another on her leg. He stopped kissing her neck and growled at the sky. The carriage had started again and she saw his shadows stretch out to create a black roof above her to stave off the rain. Finally the dizzy spells ended and she tried to get up. She examined the walls for an opening to jump out of. To her dismay she found one. Tentatively she tried to put her hand through it like she had done before. It was solid this time. He really meant to capture her didn't he?

She didn't fear the shadows in the slightest. She had no reason to fear them because never had they raise a tendril or metaphysical hand against her. She pressed again starting to feel claustrophobic. She didn't fear tight spaces. Quite the opposite. Tight enclosed spaces were her friend when she had to live on the run. When she couldn't get into an inn, a small space under a bridge and her cloak would do fine. She needed to climb; what better spot had more hand holds than a wall with a small alleyway? Where best to hide from someone in a space but a small enclosed one? But that was the problem. Her fear stemmed from the lack of exit and the knowledge that she was trapped. No matter where she had been and how dire the situation there had always been a way out. A back door, a window, an attic, a thatched roof above her that she could get through, a bad wall that she could break, a lock to pick. The cage that he had created left no such exits. She felt oppressed. She started frantically sliding her hands along the walls beating on them.

She couldn't even hear the comforting sounds of the hoof beats or the pleasant hiss of rain that she loved so much. It was madness. The dark she didn't mind. But it felt like she was choking. She screamed in fear. "LET ME OUT! I WILL NOT GO ANYWHERE WITH YOU!"

Two red eyes on the wall opened and she knew them to be his. Even worse was the Cheshire grin that showed itself. He spoke, his voice a taunting purr of amusement. "You wound me Seras. Were we not just getting along wonderfully a minute ago? Of course you are coming with me. We are nearly to the port."

She froze. Horror. Abject and utter horror. No… the port. Anywhere but there… he didn't even say what seaport but she knew what he was talking about. Anywhere but _there_. He wouldn't… she would be killed. Cut down if they saw her and then the obvious destination. He was taking her to _his home_. The eyes on the wall narrowed.

"It is your home from now on as well Seras."

No. she wasn't going! She was going to find a way out. "LET. ME. OUT. NOW." He just laughed and closed his eyes. Furiously she searched the floor for his body though she knew it not to be there. He had done that trick to her many times before when she was looking in her mirror just to hear her shriek in surprise. She found nothing but the hard wood and she screamed in frustration before continuing to hit and kick the walls in blind rage.

XXxXxxX

He watched her angry outburst in amusement. Her punches to his shadows while strong for _her_ kind were nothing. They did not even hurt in the slightest. The smell of her fear was rather intoxicating and not for the first time he wanted a taste. Her anger made her even more desirable.

He would not have even bothered with the wagon if it had not been for her. Such mundane means of travel were slow and ridiculous. As well as that he would have never needed to walk when he could simply phase into being in another place. That was gentlemanly enough of him. Her frail body would not been able to withstand hard travel even to be carried in his arms. Extended travels with portals were not a wise notion either. He had growled in frustration over this. Humans were so frail! Seras was no exception. He was rather pleased by the tenacity in which she resisted. For a human she was strong willed and able to stand up to him. He found most humans who were not disgusting scum were like that. Strong of mind and so weak of body.

He had found it easier to travel with her to simply dull her mind and lock her memories for a while. While it was dull, it prevented her from escaping. Then he had planned to release them slowly. Release them too fast and her mind can be damaged. Which what nearly happened when she had broken his control. He felt mildly impressed by was in no way surprised. Seras was very stubborn. He had never had to work so hard to coax a human to sleep before. She was a fiery woman and to have such a mate for his queen was a very pleasing idea. It also felt… **_right_** in a way he couldn't describe to have Seras as his mate.

He frowned watching her start to kick the walls. She should not be exerting herself in such a way. He had chosen this human way of travel so that she could rest and regain her strength. While normally this would not matter he intended to make her his queen and the rest of the court would not accept a frail human. He would convince her soon enough it was more that she would need to protect herself from jealous women. He already planned to hide her for as long as he could but it would not work for long. Except for a few whose loyalty was absolute he could trust no one with Seras.

He saw her begin to pant and estimated that if she hadn't been in recovery she could have carried on this way for another six or so minute. Her kicks and screams slowed and finall she laid still gasping for air. She was young and like all children it was best to let them get their temper tantrums to run their course. Still, he was certain when she recovered she would continue trying to fight her way out. He took her mind unprepared and put her to sleep before she could realize what was going on and fight back. He gazed at her sleeping face, already imagining her eyes red and body covered in blood.


	9. Chapter 9

He was bored. There was nothing to do. He held her in his arms in his coffin but beyond that there was not much to do but wait. He couldn't stand the irksome rocking of the ship. Even if he needed to sleep there would be none to be had with the movements of the ship as the surf tossed and turned restlessly. He held her secure to avoid her waking up and escaping but also because he rather liked the feeling he got when he held her close in his arms. Already they had docked at a port and he had to wake her up so she could eat and take care of human needs.

She had nearly succeeded in escaping and now he had learned his lesson that she was to be watched closely. It was amusing to watch the ingenuity in which she plotted her escape. For someone so innocent Seras was very cunning and devious. First she had insisted on privacy to go use a chamber pot in the docksman's hut and had used the smell of ash from the fireplace to cover her scent as she climbed through the straw thatching of the cottage roof. He had only caught her at it because he heard the noise and grew suspicious. She had taken a hatch of cooking salt and flung it at his eyes in an attempt to blind him. Again he had to feed her and force her to sleep. She needed it anyways.

His instructions to the crew were simple. He would pay them half up front and then the other half when the journey was complete. He was to be left alone in his cabin except for a meal of meat and fruit and a pitcher of water at breakfast, lunch and dinner. No one was to enter his cabin for any reason. No matter what they thought they heard coming from his room they were not to enter throughout the journey. They were to travel from Montpellier to Toulon to Cannes and finally dock at La Spezia. If they could manage those simple instructions they would be paid handsomely a king's ransom of the entire crew's weight in Francs. No questions were to be asked.

The captain was more than happy to go along with the proposal and the only trouble he got from the human was grumblings about a woman being on board and superstitious nonsense about it being bad luck. He grinned because he could just imagine the look on her face if she had heard that. He could imagine her going up to the captain all beautiful hellfire and a determined angry blaze in her topaz blue eyes as she gave the captain a what-for.

She was such a rebellious woman. One who valued independence and yet could barely accomplish it herself because she was a frail human. She constantly thought herself all kinds of self-sufficiency. He had seen her grow up yet he could hardly understand what had spawned this rebellious streak that refused to allow her to become a domesticated woman her parents had desired.

"_Look! It's so big tonight… Isn't it beautiful Vlad?" her sweet voice called out to him as she stared heavenwards. She didn't look straight ahead because she knew she was likely to look down and fall. He admired her form bathed in the moonlight and delighted in her enthrallment of the night. His plans would work well if she was so enamored by the nocturnal night. All he would have to do was waiting for her to be the right age. She was fifteen and a half, not nearly old enough. To take her now would be cradle robbing._

"_Yes." He felt no need to speak as he was too busy admiring her and her graceful movements. She was barefoot and outside at the same time, as always when her parents could not observe her. Which wasn't often. She was always forced to be accompanied by someone these days and regularly she snuck out at night where she could experience the freedom he knew she deserved._

_Though he rather felt that she would fall. He eyed the slender beam of wood she stood practicing on with a smirk. All it would take was a simple flick and splash into the pool of water she would go. His eyes flickered up to her and could not understand how such a thin night gown could protect her from the chill of England spring nights. It was cold year round and only summer had any hint of warmth in the day time and barely at nighttime. Now, Romania on the other hand had heat year round and it was pleasant to experience the warmth of the night like a lovers caress._

_It was a long sleeved yellow silk nightgown. The sleeves reached her elbow. Like all women of her age it reached her ankles and covered up her legs. The under gown made the thin nightwear more appropriate. The pink sash tied around her torso just below her bosom kept the skirts from flying up. The dress was somewhat gliding and light so every time she turned it flowed behind her slowly and beautifully. She looked ghostly and ethereal._

_Her hair was down and it was un-brushed and wild. He liked it better that way. He watched her joy at freedom and the way her azure eyes sparkled with untold mischief. Her skin was already pale and smooth. She would look magnificent as a nosferatu._

_She was practicing on the wooden beam over a dew pond of water. He scoffed. Ballet. That French swine of a teacher of hers made it necessary and grudgingly he rather liked the results though. Her movements were unconsciously graceful everywhere she went now. Three years of ballet had done wonders. She was thinner and her legs longer. _

"_Why must you use your hours of liberation at twilight to practice what you loath?" he was genuinely curious. Her mind was like a labyrinth he could not reach the end of. Constantly she had reasoning and thought that took him by surprise. He rather liked hearing her reasoning if only to take him by surprise, which normally wasn't often but with her it was a constant surprise if he didn't read her thoughts._

_She sighed. "I told you earlier. I fell in ballet earlier and so __**monsieur Jaqueaz**__" here she made a mock French accent "in a-ll 'iz in-vent-ite wiz-doo-m-a, 'old my par-aunt-z zat I sould 'ake u-oop panting 'oo an-criss my 'kon-zen-trate-on." _

_He laughed at her mockery of her French tutors speech. She grinned before her eyes tightened and she concentrated. She raised her arms to be level and raised herself on the tips of her toes before raising her left foot high up to be vertically parallel with her stomach. Her other leg bent at the knees and she jumped forward. A perfect landing. She laughed in triumph and he admired how it sounded like the delighted peals of bells._

"_Wait until I show this to monsieur! Then I won't have to learn painting. I concentrate just fine!" he smirked as she made an annoyed face._

"_I had thought you enjoyed paintings." Her eyes lit up at this and she spun around making the beam wobble dangerously. Her arms flew out in alarm as she sway for a moment and Vlad entertained the idea of stomping on the beam once more just to see her fall and her face glare at him angrily. After a few moments she regained balance._

"_I do. It's just that… they are taking something I love and turning it into one of my finishing… They said it was here with tutors or finishing school…" _

_He growled. He disagreed with her parents. Seras needed no finishing in his eyes except to age naturally and learn some independence. Her face slackened with sadness and he had the inexplicable urge to make her smile._

"_Finishing school… like I am a deficient person to them… I am not good enough for mother any more. Father still gives tell love for me. Yet, Mother doesn't smile like she used to when she speaks of me." He moved forward and wrapped her in his arms and she held close. _

"_Worry not Seras. You will always have me." She smiled and he stared feeling oddly memorized at it. What was this emotion he was experiencing? He felt frustrated. He wanted to rage at his own weakness. Emotions were weakness. What could he possibly feel for this small frail human girl that rebelled against all who tried to keep her down trodden and who outwitted those who tried to patronize her? He wanted her as a mate and his queen when she was ready yet it seemed to him to go far deeper than that. Why?_

_She spoke again. "Thank you Vlad. I would have died on the inside a long time ago if it were not for you." She imitated her mother's voice. "'be a good girl Seras.' my fathers deep voice. '__**My daughter. You must learn to behave. This rebelliousness of your must be put out**__.' Aunt Millicent. '__**You must get a move on if you are to ever find a husband.**__'"_

_He chuckled. She had a very talented penchant for voice imitations and could have been an actor. What the stage had lost he had gained. "my dear I highly doubt it. You are exceedingly stubborn and would have found a way."_

_She scowled in anger. "Behave all the time Seras. Be a good girl Seras. Be a proper lady Seras. I sicken of this Vlad. proper lady. What good does it do when I would be nothing more than an image in the background to the men around me? Speak softly and even then I am not allowed to speak without being spoken to first by the men nearby?" he smirked as she took care to keep her voice raised. _

_She felt comfortable enough to speak normally to him. Not the whisper weed they kept her as. He decided to give her a good needle. "My my Seras. You are a rather improper lady to speak so loud and disobey your parents by sneaking out."_

_She laughed happily before she smirked at him in a way that reminded him of himself. "Oh yes. For example. No proper lady would ever be in the company of a strange man alone at night. No proper lady would ever leave the house with her hair down and un-brushed. No proper lady would ever be seen in this nightgown by a man she is not married to. No proper lady would ever laugh or giggle or snort. If she did mistress Merriweather would turn ashen with the shock and death." He listened to her mischievous play and her words grinning. Very fiery spirit. She only listened to him completely. She turned away from him to face the water, her smile growing._

"_and no proper lady would ever do this." She jumped her gold hair flying behind her. The water splashed. She shrieked from the cold and laughed. He watched her shiver with a raised eyebrow. He also added reckless to the list of her qualities. It was England and spring had made the night cold yet in the gardens behind her house she saw fit to take a dive? She turned to him._

"_What's the matter Vlad? Are vampires afraid of a little cold water?" he grinned wider at her challenge. Quickly he phased into the water under the surface. He saw her feet urn this way and that before he grabbed her ankles and pulled her under. She struggled for a minute before he let go. He surfaced laughing. Her hair strung around her face and it looked dark, nearly black. She shivered again, effectively ruining her glare. Her teeth started to chatter and he clucked his tongue at her before picking her up in his arms and walking to the bank, ignoring her protests. He wrapped her in his coat, making it dry with a thought._

"_Foolish. Do you wish to catch a death? Perhaps you do need more concentration if you cannot focus on the concept that you __**will**__ die if you get to cold."_

_He watched her feel up the coat with interest. He heard her thoughts about the dry state of it. _**It's dry… yet he was under water. Strange power. Wish I could do such.**

_His grinned widened with secret mirth. She should be warned to be more careful of what she wished because she just might get it. "Would you really want to be able to do such?"_

_She jumped. "Vlad…" she said pleadingly. "Why must you read my thoughts?"_

"_I do not. I have said it time and time again. You think too loud."_

_She fell silent and he could see her thinking. Suddenly she spoke. _

"_Mother says I have no taste though." He didn't know what she was talking about. She smiled and continued. " Said that Dawson from down the road at the old sheep farm makes rubbish paintings but I think they are glorious." She smiled happily but missed the glower that appeared on his face. As it was he barely contained the growl of hate. He turned away and bared his fangs towards the south, he could smell the human in question all the way here._

_She had been spending too much time down with that weak __**human**__ boy for his liking and she talked about him constantly. This, her parents did not miss. She smelled like the sheep nearly every day when she went to visit him and he wanted her regular sent of freesia and lavender back. Should anything begin to happen he knew to take care of it and to get rid of the problem before it could become too large. _

_At first, when she had turned thirteen, he thought some of the suitors that came to her house every day would be a problem but she showed them as much interest as she did corsets. In fact she talked about them and made fun of their efforts to woo her with such hateful scorn she normally did not have in her persona. Soon he felt no need to feed from them in his anger. In fact he often found he looked forward to when they would come so he could hear here mock them and the ludicrous gifts they gave, of which she showed even less interest._

_But this… this worthless usurper who she visited daily on her morning horse rides seemed to be of interest to her and he could not allow it to continue. The biggest reason being that he had seen the pathetic human male returned her interested looks. The human had the impudence of giving her flowers before dare touching her face like a lover would. He had nearly torn off the human's face in his rage once she had left, blushing no less. He dare look at her? He dare hear her voice? He dares touch what was not his?_

_He knew that the human would ask his parents permission to do this silly 'come calling' tradition which would allow him to marry her. He would have to act soon. But first he would have some fun with her right now because while the moon was full and she was glowing brilliant under the moon luminescence, for a time, she was his._

He pets her hair gently enjoying the feel of it. He truly didn't mind it short but it was more enjoyable when he could feel all of it. When there was more to feel. He breathed deeply, smirking. Freesias and lavender invaded his nose.

Freesias and lavender. Seras's natural smell. No more sheep. For after he was done there was one less person on the farm down the road and no reason for her to visit the Sheppard's pastures. For an insolent human his blood was rather enjoyable. Perhaps because it was a feast of victory.


	10. Chapter 10

Something about this chapter didn't set with me right. I don't know why. It's actually necessary to the story. Maybe because the biggest part of this chapter was the flashback even though the flashback is the necessary part is what bothers me. I tried to expand it more. I do like those movies where you find out more about the beginning as you go through which is why I love doing these flashbacks. K, first flash back Seras is seventeen and in the second one she is eighteen and it is January.

Author: Okay! Lets read and-

The sky suddenly had a bright blue hole in it and a car falls out.

Author: WTF?

Old man with white hair gets out of the car looks around. The author gets the distinct 'mad scientist' impression from him.

Old man: GREAT SCOTT! This is the wrong place! It looks like there is not enough reviews to get back to the future at all I will have to find another place to fuel the flux capacitor.

Old man jumps back into the car and goes back into the portal which closes while the author stares with her mouth open.

Author: ... what the fuck was that?

xxxxxXxxxxXxxxIlovethemovie"truegrit"xxxxX

Her eyes slowly opened. She resisted yawning and instead settled on blinking balefully at the dark surroundings. She knew where she was and what was going on. She huffed angrily. She also knew that if she turned around she would see his glowing red eyes and that self-satisfied smug smirk of his. She felt his arms around her and felt so warm inside. Happy. She loathed herself for it. He was so possessive and yet somehow she felt happy because it seemed like it was his version of affection. She grits her teeth at his notion. She was supposed to be escaping not accepting. Yet she knew that it would do no good to squirm or struggle because his arms were like irons when he had a hold on something. So she lay limp ignoring him and doing anything she could to snub him.

She couldn't believe the nerve of him using the port town the way he had to make sure she didn't escape. Se'te to the south of Montpellier was the closer and better port town yet he purposely used Montpellier knowing she wouldn't dare try to escape in that place because of the danger to herself. He knew of what she had done there and used it to his advantage. She silently raged at him for it.

_She stared. She licked her lips nervously. The market stall was four feet from her and crowded by a line of people all crowded the area screaming their bargains creation chaos and confusion. Perfect for her plans. Just four feet. She pulled the cloak tighter around herself. The rose pin she fastened tighter so that it would not slip off. So hungry. All HIS fault. She had lost her first bag with all her money in it because of HIM. She saw a wave of people coming and the town guards were looking the other ways. Now!_

_Pulling the hood farther down she darted forward and slipped an arm under a middle aged mans armpit. She wrinkled her nose in disgust at the smell and feel of his sweat. Her hand found a fishhook and she pulled. She tucked the strung fish line it in her bag under her cloak and walked away just as the crowd came up to her and she mingled to the side should she be seen so she could run. Already her eyes were darting back and forth studying the guards and she resisted the urge to look behind her to see if anyone had noticed yet._

_She couldn't wait to get back to Alviss to get this cooked! Let him call her and her horse a waste of space now! She heard it then. Not more than twenty feet behind her. She could hear the market keeper shrieking in outrage and she quickened her steps a little. He was calling for the guards and cursing in French. The market stall owners all around her were closing up their stores quickly at the news of a thief in the crowd. She bit her lip and desperately wanted to go faster. She saw the corner to turn on and smiled slightly. Her heart pounded nervously. Her fingers trembled. She was not used to doing this but she was desperate._

_She turned the corner to a less populated street. The alley street. The street rat lane as some people called it. Too say it was a street was a very generous thing to call it. It was more of a dusty dirt road that led to the slums of the town. Anyone found on this part of town was labeled either a gypsy or a robber or a whore. Her arm flew to her dagger under her cloak as she warily eyes everyone else. She nodded to Valens who waved back kindly. She didn't know what to make of him. Con artist or kindly old man? She walked in the middle of the street avoiding the tight alley corners. She had learned her lesson about that months and months ago._

_Finally as she could smell smoke and oil the farther down she went the street and so she sped up. If she was too slow the garrison would see her colorful cloak and assume she was a gypsy. And to them no gypsy was honest. To them all gypsies were devils with godless ways and dishonest fingers. They would stop her to search her person for the fish line she had taken. Those were expensive in the height of summer. The waters were too warm to go fishing so even in the market town fish was an expensive commodity. Yet she needed that bundle of fish to take back to the others. If they found her valuable they would let her stay until she had to leave._

_She turned the corner and balked. Quickly she doubled back and hid at the edge. Oh god. __**Why me**__ she wailed in her head. Not him. Just her luck. The captain of the town garrison had found where she was sleeping these nights. And he seemed to be waiting for her. He was a beastly filthy man. He had a full head of black heard and stubble of a beard to match. It made him look like a half molted deer. He was around twenty. She was nearing her eighteenth birthday and would be so in two months. He had been finding her all over town no matter where she went. Once again it was her hair that was the source of trouble. She had let her hood down to see more of the town while she was riding in._

_He had seen her golden hair and that she was traveling alone. She had run across his obnoxious path upon entering town and had had to listen to him offer her a place to sleep in his room! Her blood burned at the very idea of what he had suggested. The nerve… the… the complete lack of respect and insinuation he had given her… She was not some whore or prostitute! He had actually thought she wanted what he wanted and grabbed her arm with his grubby hands. She had kicked him when he grabbed her arm and she had taken a woman's chamber pot a passerby had been carrying and slammed it on his head. Let him be a man of pride now. Then she rode off on nightshade before he could retaliate._

_She looked above her and saw the wood support beams for the pathetic terra cotta house she leaned against. Two feet above. She curses her tiny height and winced at the knowledge of what she would have to do to reach those beams. She would need to get on the roof to deposit the fish and then go face the horrid captain._

_She broke off her musings wincing as she heard Alviss raise his voice insisting that no such person slept here. Gritting her teeth she raised herself on her toes until she was on the tips. It was all she could do to not cry out in pain from her feet. She raised her arms and her hands closed around the beam. She quickly pulled her body up and rolled on the roof. Seras curled up to nurse her poor toes. She hadn't done that for years and it hurt just as much as it used to._

_Hunched down she ran to the corner of the roof and put the bag with the fish in the notch and laid down to wait for the captain to leave. If Alviss said she wasn't there and now she could not dare come down. He would be arrested for lying to an officer and be put to the wooden irons in the square, if not hung. She hated that vile man._

_She could see from her vantage point poor Caldhut hiding in the barrel from the captain behind the tent. Oh it must be so cold in there. He had been spotted recently stealing the cloak she was wearing now. It had been a gift he said. So she could dance and earn money for the group. Now he had to hide or it was the noose he was getting from the captain. If he was discovered…_

"_Is she here?" he questioned heatedly. His silver armor glinted off of the dying daylight sun. _

_Alviss's red head shook back and forth and his ragged white shirt flap slightly. "If I say it unce I say agan. There be no woman with gold hair in my compiny 'cept for Haless here and she have no golden hairs far is I can sees. Idnt' tha right Haless?" _

_She saw the black hair woman nod vigorously and then looks back down to the fire she was stoking. The sun would be setting soon. They would need a good fire. Seras felt guilty she wasn't able to find any flint to steal as well but that stall had less people and it would have been noticed; she would have to actually run for it._

_Her eyes spotted Nightshade in the alley behind the tent with rags tied around his iron hoofs. She felt relief that they wouldn't be given away like that. Her horse seemed to be dozing quietly. The dirt plot they were squatting on was free and a common feature for this part of town. Most of the people here who couldn't get houses camped outside on the fields or slept in the streets. She was a single woman and the hotel keepers assumed she was an un-virtuous one for traveling alone. Also she had lost all her money,_

_The roof she lay on was so warm. She shifted to spread her arms and get more warmth when it happened. The roof cricked dangerously and she froze. No… not now. Alviss had said the roofing was dreadfully poor…_

_She looked down and saw the captain look up and meet eyes with her. The roof made a horrible cracking noise. She eyed the food stash and knew there would be no way to hide it. The house groaned and she felt the horrible sensation of the roof beginning to curve inward. They all would have their hands cut off for being thieves. She looked at Alviss and before she fell through, screamed._

"_WE'VE BEEN OUSTED! TAKE FLIGHT!"_

_The house groaned and she shrieked as it gave out under her. She could hear everyone cursing and people pounding on the cobblestones as they fled the area. For one dizzying moment she thought she was floating until she hit the ground with a dull thud. Dust flew up and the table she landed on was soft. The stolen fish, apples, bread, flint, gun powder bag reigned down into the house around her splattering everywhere. She cursed through her coughs as the expensive gun powder Haless has so riskily filched split and ruined the fish._

_She jumped up and ran out the door feeling sick but uninjured. She turned the alley way and jumped up on Nightshade. Her cloak fell off her head. Nightshade felt her heels dig in his side and the mare trotted forwards gaining speed. She trampled the tent to find the captain ignoring everyone else. She felt relieved and vexed. Her friends would be safe but he was dead set on her. She would have to leave town. Now. Quickly she tore off her cloak and threw it at his face. The cloak settled over him and his arrow missed. She turned the corner. She would have to get to the gate before orders went through to have it closed._

_She saw the people scattering in her path as she screamed for them to move lest they be trampled by a wild horse. She saw a soldier run out in run to stop her. "Faster Nightshade!" he horse huffed in more air and the soldier dove out of the way. Soon she reached the west gate and she could hear that horrid beast of a man screaming out orders as the men heaved for the gate to be closed. She urged for more speed._

_She eyed the pike they raised while the rest continued to try to close the gate. She knew this trick. She repositioned herself on the horse to be sidesaddle and shot her feet out. The pike dropped out his hands and her horse wouldn't be killed. Unfortunately he was trampled. She shot free of the walls, the people, and everything behind her and the gate closed behind her with a large thud. She could hear the uproar behind her as she road through the fields for the safety for the woods. There would be reward posters for this._

She flinched as she felt him nose her neck. He musings were interrupted as he laved her neck in small kisses. She tried to raise her leg to kick him but he only took it as an opportunity to slide his own between her legs. Her eyes widened and her face heated in embarrassment. He chuckled before licking her neck like a dog would. She turned red and was furious that she was enjoying the feel of his tongue. He stopped and laughed hearing this thought.

"Very contrary dear. Do you like me touching you or not?"

She kept silent. Not merely out of anger but more out of necessity. She wasn't used to boats and she felt slightly ill. Her hand clapped to her mouth as the boot gave another violent rock. Seasickness… oooh…. She didn't feel so well… she could feel her stomach churning and her throat pushed up and down. She felt hungry but refused to eat. She wouldn't keep it down this time. Her body felt like an echo as it snapped and circled on the inside. Oh she was going to be sick if this continued, empty stomach be damned!

He purposely made it so the blasted ship was twenty miles out. She could possibly swim eight if she was careful… but ten? She might make it. Twenty? Impossible, she would drown for sure. She felt trapped and she sulked at it. Did he have to think of everything? She was trying to come up with ways to escape and each was less likely than the last. He was hearing her thoughts regardless of how she tried to hide them and laughed every now and then when she came up with what she thought was a 'good one'.

There was no way off this boat except with him. He laughed again at this thought and she felt his thumb stroking her cheek. She ignored this too. He was being oddly gentle. Up until the game had begun he had always been gentle but now he was being very protective. Like he was holding a sick person. She wasn't frail. She felt annoyed.

His baritone reached her ears. He sounded like he was scolding her. "Now Seras. There is no reason to be upset. You are nearly recovered. Need I remind you that you were sick for several days?" she felt him kiss her head and refused to admit this made her feel happy. Her heart was singing. "Besides, I am merely enjoying holding my bride."

Finally she spoke. "I am not your bride. I am no ones." He just laughed. Laughed! She was furious.

"You are adorable when your stubborn kitten. You are mine. Do not deny it. You want me as well."

She opened her mouth to deny this but closed it. She had no response. It was like all desperation had gone from her. All desire to resist. Gone. What was going on? She was supposed to run from him. But why? A small voice in her head asked her. Why would she want to run? She felt so confused. She knew this was no hypnosis on her part. She honestly didn't know what she would run for.

Finally she found one. Love. He said bride. How many other brides were there? How many did Vlad have waiting for him at home? She did not want that. She didn't want to be just an addition to a harem. Just a body. Just a replaceable amusement. Just a toy.

Toy.

Again her heart felt like it was breaking from that word. Why did it hurt so much? She didn't think he was able to love. She knew him well but never had he talked of any wives or mates he had waiting for him. There had to be someone. She felt angry at this thought. Someone with him. Holding him. She felt surprised at herself. She was jealous! She knew she shouldn't be but she was. Why? She didn't know why she was jealous.

She frowned. Now that she thought about it… what did she feel for him? She felt so bewildered. It was a mess of tangled feelings. She couldn't even remember ever having thought about her own feelings of her childhood friend. She felt happy with him but easily felt just as happy with a good friend. Yet he seemed special to her. Special in a way that just couldn't be given to a friend. Being here in his arms felt _right_. What was this feeling? Why did she feel this way? She felt so safe and warm with him. So happy. She was safe.

She shook off her thoughts. _No, no, no._ _I do not feel that way_ she told herself. To feel safe or happy with her captor was ridiculous. Those thoughts were dangerous. She was getting out of here. But her heart just wasn't in it. As much as she tried to convince herself she knew that she didn't want to leave. Alucard was back. It wasn't Vlad with her despite what she called him. It was the kind person she knew. He was a mixture of both people yet his kindness and laughter was so warm and bright in comparison to his anger and rage. The way he held her it was as if he thought nothing had changed.

Like the deck wasn't rocking back and forth. Like she could simply stand up and walk through the door at night and run into her gardens. Like mother would call her name to introduce her to the next set of suitors who she would have to withstand drearily even though she was engaged in case mother no longer approved of James.

It wasn't fair… couldn't she have someone to love her back? She could feel him frown. "Is it really so terrible a thing to you, to be my bride?"

Yes. No. Yes. No. she could feel herself beginning to red, red eyes and her tears wanted to fall. She didn't know. But she did. No… It wasn't. Yet she was confused. It was like she had no idea of which way to turn or how to react. She didn't know her own feelings. She didn't know if **he** even HAD feelings or if she was just beautiful to him. Worse of all was the unfairness. He did realize that she would age? She would age and die. He laughed before holding her tenderly.

"Surely you wouldn't think I would settle with just a decade or two with you?" he sounded very pleased with something and very amused. She had a sinking feeling from that. What did he mean by that? She frowned trying to understand his words. He wouldn't want just a decade or two with her yet he wanted her. Surely he knew she would die? She was mortal and-

Her eyes widened. She whimpered fearfully at the feel of his lips against her neck and she frightfully pressed her lips together tighter to avoid getting anything in them. She clamped her hand over her mouth tighter as well. No… he wouldn't…He couldn't mean to do that…

He laughed a deep throaty one that rumbled slightly in his chest and she could feel his amused smirk against her neck. His hand came up to her shoulder and he forced her to turn around to face his. She cringed at his amused smile as his eyes settled on her hands that were protecting her mouth. Her heart raced a dreadful song of fright as she realized what he meant to do. She could see the glow of his red eyes that were the color of the lycoris spider lilly. She could barely make out the shape of his face and she was not allowed more than six inches from him despite how much she tried to pull away. The small space in the coffin did not allow for much room.

"Calm down Seras. I would not change you here. It is not… suitable." She made a strangled noise of panic and shook her head quickly. She kept her hand at her mouth and her lips pr closed. No… no… he wouldn't… she wouldn't. She refused. She didn't and would never give him permission. She wouldn't be able to live with herself anyways. She felt him pull her closer and she started shaking in terror. She couldn't see but she knew he was frowning.

He rubbed her back and held her close, making noises that were supposed to sooth small children. She knew she should have felt insulted but somehow it abated her fears. She had not had any sort of kindness or comfort for a year and a half now. Slowly she felt her body relax but she kept her hand over her mouth. She couldn't let anything of him in her mouth; especially his blood. His hand came up and pried it away from her lips. She shook her head and tried to pull back uselessly. No…

She bit her lip and grits her jaw. Keep her mouth shut and he couldn't change her. He wouldn't do such a thing without her say would he? She could feel herself wanting to cry and she squeezed her eyes shut to force them back. Why her? Out of the millions of women he could have picked why did he pick her? Why? She wasn't particularly beautiful or clever. In fact she was certain she was opposite. She felt stupid and slow. How had she not known his intentions?

How had she not realized what he meant whenever he called her 'his' or declared 'mine' so forcefully? Or when he looked at her in that way that made her face turn red and made her nervous? Or the reason he stayed with her so long? The reason he trusted her with secrets of nightwalkers and vampires? Or when sometimes mother's suitors went missing. She knew that he had to eat but not so often that she would suspect him of being the cause of the missing men. She had thought that they decided she wasn't interested and actually realized she found them to be boorish louts that would never give her the time of day.

And Dawson… that must have been what happened to him. She had liked him. He is-… was sweet… he had given her flowers and asked if she would want him to come calling. She honestly could have seen herself with him holding a brown headed child with blue eyes or a flaxen hair girl with green eyes of the most vivid bottle green. His hands reminded her of Vlad when he held her. So gentle… gone. Because she got to close to them. Again.

It was her fault again. This time she couldn't hold back and great hot tears came down in heartbroken rivers.

_Her hand was already on hr dagger as she walked through the streets. She should have never come out in the dark this night. She could feel eyes on her yet she knew there was no one else on the streets. Her heart screamed in her chest to go and flee. She felt chills and shivers that were not from the cold. Someone or something was here. She could feel it and they were watching her. Her heels clicked and she tried to hurry back to her hotel. That sense of unease was growing stronger the longer stay on the darken streets._

_Once more her thoughts strayed to HIM and she shuddered in fear of being captured. She had been careful to leave no trace but it was no guarantee she pulled her black cloak around her tighter. She wore it now to conceal her hair. She had learned her lesson and kept it on at all times. It went far past her forehead and nearly reached her nose. Not enough to cover her eyes and hinder vision but just enough that no one could see her face._

_She could see her hotel when she heard it. A low snarling and she stopped. Slowly she turned and looked through the gloom only to see him. A great black shaggy dog with red eyes and snarling fangs looking like the church grim himself. She could have called him a black shuck he was too large to be called a dog or a wolf. _

"_Vlad…" she whispered. He slowly advanced and for every pad of his paw he took she slid back. He stopped and lowered his shoulders in a pose she recognized well. Panicking she turned and ran but didn't get far. She felt his weight on her back and she fell on the ground with him on top of her. She felt the air go out of her with a great oof! and she wheezed in pain. Her vision went slightly black and dazedly she tried to collect herself to be braced for the pain._

_It never came, suddenly he was off of her and she heard him snarling and someone else giving yells and shouts. She felt to disoriented and the shadows she saw dancing with the light ahead of her told her that she should have know what was happening but she couldn't place it. Finally she manages to sit up and turn around to look. Vlad was grinning and playfully snapping at the heels of a man as he brandished a torch at him like it would frighten him off. She wanted to scream for the man who so kindly tried to save her but nothing came out._

_She looked at the sword at her hip and stood up determined. She grew it and the sound of the rasping it made as she drew it from the sheath gave her curage. She ran forward to pierce his hide and he leapt back. He jumped forward and she raised her sword at his stomach so that he would be run through. Somehow he twisted in air and landed two feet from her. He made to lunge at her once more and the man with the torch gave a great cry. She tried to slide her feet back but tripped on a sharp edge of cobblestone and feel back. Stars burst in her eyes as her head his the hard rock. She felt giddy with sickness. She could hear vlad barking at him like he was a household pet and the man to her relief was still alive._

_She didn't understand why he was playing with the man when he could just simply kill him. Her vision began to clear and the swimming feeling disappeared slowly. Her head hurt. She gripped it and when she looked up Vlad was gone and only the man with the torch remained. What? How was he still alive? Vlad feared nothing and no fire would stop him. The man stood there bare foot in only black pants an a thin white shirt grinning with the torch held high like it was a staff of victory and she got the distinct impression that he was more child than man._

_He stepped forward and proffered her a hand to help her up. She accepted and stumbled to her feet slightly. She looked into his face and he smiled boyishly. Finally he spoke. _

"_Bloody hell you are good with a sword my lady. That demon never knew what hit him. It's a good thing I got to you in time because when's I looked out my window and saw that specter following I had to get out here and wouldn't you know me luck the only thing I had be a torch with some pitch on it."_

"_Thank you for helping." She said gratefully. Her voice shook slightly. He noticed._

"_Why don't you stay with me my lady? I got have a second room that it no longer in use so there be no improper meaning to my words I assure my lady of that."_

_She felt relieved and torn at the same time. To stay with another human being would be of great comfort but she couldn't stay another second in town. She had to get going._

"_No thank you. I can't stay in town. I have to leave." His eyes narrowed._

"_That beastie is following you ininte he?" his voice was laced with suspicion and she knew she was caught. He was very astute._

_She looked down and spoke her answer quietly. "Yes."_

_His voice next was loud and sure. "Then the answer is clear. Till you reach you destination I shall accompany you." Her head shot up in alarm. No! he couldn't. Vlad would kill him just because he was a man. He may have been just trying to protect her in this moment but just for being male he would be killed. Vlad was a very jealous person who protected her like he would a rooster to baby chicks. He wouldn't allow any man to touch her and live._

"_You can't! No! Go home!" she pulled from his grasp and tried to walk away. He held fast to her shoulder. _

"_I cannot ij good conscience allow a lady to be left alone while being stalked by a dangerous creature. I will accompany you come hell or high water." She bit her lip. It couldn't hurt… he was just trying to do the right thing. Surely Vlad would not begrudge a man for wanting to protect her like he did. A common interest._

"_My name is Seras Victoria." She responded and his eyes lit up with such joyous boyish grace you would have thought him to be peter of childhood dreams._

"_My name is Francis. No last name though. I'm an orphan. So do we have an agreement?"_

_She hesitated. She couldn't. No. she shook her head. "I can't let you come with. No, don't follow me. You will be killed."_

_He grew mad again. "But the beastie following yous my lady... He will come again."_

_She grew angry at this. Did he wish to die? He would if he came with. "You don't understand do you? As long as you're with me he is always coming! He will always be coming and he will never stop!"_

"_Which is precisely why I will be there to keep you safe!" she stopped. He spoke again. His eyes seemed so pleadingly. So wanting to protect her. To keep her safe. _

"_But…" no, no don't follow. You can't. You'll die. You'll die and it will all be my fault. That was what she wanted to say. Yet she couldn't. Those horrible, wonderful eyes. This brave stupid, stupid person. It was enough to make her cry._

"_Please my ladyship. Would you honor me by allowing me to company you?" He asked so gently and softly. _

_No! Run from me please! You must listen. Flee now! I'm like a disease. I'm a poisonous flower. Don't be fooled my brilliant gold petals. Please. Please. I'm the pox. The Black Death. Put some posies in your pocket to protect yourself. I'm a plague. I'm a swarm of vile locusts. Find mosses' staff to protect yourself. Please. Please don't ask this of me. Don't look at me like that. So tenderly and softly. Please don't look at me like that. Please don't ask me like that. So sweetly and kindly promising to keep me safe. Stop it. Please! Stop it! You'll die and it will be my fault. He will kill you and it will be my fault. I am a horrid malady. Run from me now. A shrew. Save yourself. Everything I touch shrivels to dead and dust. _

_She was a ghastly person. Greedy and selfish. Those eyes that promised safety and comfort. She wanted them. She was a dreadful person. Positively horrid and her selfish greed knew no bounds by this. She felt horrible for doing this. She was worse than Vlad. She wanted to sob her tears dry and tear at her hair wailing. Don't look at me like that. How will I have the strength to resist you? Please stop it. I'm an atrocious, awful person. He fingered her hand gently and she trembled before whispering her answer in shame._

"_Yes…"_

Vlad stroked her hair as she wept and she didn't understand. She didn't understand how she didn't hate him. She didn't hate him for her family. She didn't hate him for Dawson. She didn't hate him for Francis. Even now for capturing her and telling her he would turn her into something else she didn't hate him. She couldn't hate him or feel angry in the slightest. In fact she felt happy in his arms. She was horrible. She felt safe and happy. No hatred. No anger. No bitterness. Just pure, blissful happiness.

_What is wrong with me?_


	11. Chapter 11

Yes, even with the final exam for English looming ahead, an nightmarishly difficult mgp project presentation threatening on Monday, a dreadful of a test tomorrow and then the conundrum of another test in a different class also tomorrow on Friday, I still find ways to slack off. Amazing isn't it? Well what better way to slack off and enjoy it than by submitting a chapter? I've decided. Its 9:47 and I have to get up at 5:45 tomorrow. God damn I'm gonna be completely smashed and a wreck for school but I will not leave this desk until I finish this chapter. (or I need a bathroom break. Whatever happens first.)

Author: Now to write the scene where Seras realizes that-

Seras: *shock* you can't do this!

Author: I can too! I'm an almighty author! I can do anything I want! I could kill off Alucard if I wanted, or make this seem like a scen from inyuasha.

Seras: gasp* no!

Author smiles evilly, deciding to reveal the true extent of her wickedness: the **Four Kids** version.

Everyone draws away horrified: not the four kids version. Have mercy!

Author: or make the most horrifying thing in the world happen that you could possibly imagine. The most hellish gruesome fate to happen to all of you if you cross me or make a spoiler.

Seras: A crossover?

Author: worse.

Seras: what could be worse? A marysue added to the fic? The characters all start resembling a bad 80's movie? I'm made to look like a wimp like I am in the canon? You make Alucard out to be gay therefore eliminating all chances of SerasXAlucard? You bring micheal Jackson to a kids playground with no cops nearby or parental supervision? What? What could be worse? Oh god! Don't tell me you're going to stop writing!

Author: much worse. Much, much worse. Think something so evil and frightening that Hitler looks like a green peace advocate and just loves the Jewish faith.

*Seras looks terrified* Seras: *Gasp* you wouldn't….

Author: ahahahahahaah! Yes! I could…

Thunder flashes ominously in the corner. Seras screams. Mayhem ensues and everyone is screaming in fear. Even Alucard looks worried and agitated. Seras starts crying in the corner. Babies weep. Men and women run towards the exits of the computer trying to find a way out. People are looting in the streets and animals flee the area. People beg for boats on the hotmail emergency evacuation for the highest bid. People flock to synagogues or churches begging for mercy and all over the streets homeless men hold 'end of the world' signs.

Author:AhahahahahaAHAHAHAH _**A**_**HAHAHAHAHAH**! YES! YES! I will make this into a dark and terrible place. A hell on earth. I shall turn it into:

_**New Jersey…**_

Seras: NO! YOU CAN'T! ANYTHING BUT THAT!

Author cackles: It's the power of the pen baby!

Alucard: This is blasphemy! This is madness!

Author: Madness you say? MADNESS?

*Alucard gets kicked into a great hole by the author*

Author: THIS. IS. **SPAAAAARRRRRTTTTAAAAAAAAAA!**

XxxxXxxxXxxxxxXxxXXx

She shivered from the cold and wished she could rub her arms. The emerald cloak about her shoulders was beautiful but not effective protection from the cold. The rope was rubbing her skin raw and she could only be glad that she was wearing a long sleeved dress so that it didn't give her blisters or burn marks. Every time the horse beneath her moved she was forced to sway slightly causing the rope to jerk her forward and back some and it make a groaning noise every time it was momentarily stretched taunt and then slackened.

**Clop**-the horse jostles her-jerk backwards and slightly to the left-_whhhiiirrr_- the rope slackens-**clip**-the rope tautens-**_snip-_**jerk forwards and slightly to the right-** Clop**-the horse jostles her-jerk backwards and slightly to the left-_whhhiiirrr_- the rope slackens-**clip**-the rope tautens-**_snip-_**jerk forwards and slightly to the right-

It was only to the safety of the bridle that she had not fallen off yet. She gripped it tightly and her hands were white and cold. Every time the horse jostled forward the air was knocked out of her slightly and her head spun a little from the lack of air. She glared at the broad back in front of her in rage. She had forgotten her moping and sulky behaviors in favor for her anger. Sulking did nothing for her. How was she to focus on escaping if she was pouting like an infant? She needed to think like a woman with all her cunning and guile in play.

She was angry and resentful for being captured. Captured… like an animal. And being told he would 'keep her'. Like she was a rare bird he wanted to add to his collection. How many other women did he have waiting for him at home? How many did he 'keep' and how many would she have to share herself with? Anger burned inside her hotter at this idea. Ooh. Why was she jealous again? He was making her jealous and she was even angrier at him for it. She was angry that she was nearing the mountains. They had already passed Ramnicu Valcea. She felt a stab of fear. Too close. That was too close to the Carpathians and they had passed through the rock studded terrain that was close to the beginning of the mountain pass. But most of all she was angry for how she was being taken captive.

The ropes tightly bound her arms to her sides and her wrists were pressed together in front of her to grab the bridle of the saddle. Her wrists were tied together by a separate rope. But most humiliating was the rope around her waist that was not only tied to the horse but was the rope he held in his hands ten feet ahead of the horse he used to lead. Like she was a dog. She eyed red cloak angrily. He was just walking in front of her leisurely like it was normal to kidnap women, put them on a ship, entrance them to fall asleep and then tie them up and take them home. She had screamed angrily at him for hours and all he did was laugh and goad her or ignore her. Now her voice was hoarse from her abuse of it. She felt so tired. They had been going for hours and the riding was taking its toll on her. They were starting to get high up and the gasps of air came back out in white puffs. So bitterly cold…

She had to get away. It didn't matter that she didn't want to… she would figure that out later. Perhaps a bit of insanity on her part. She did and didn't want to leave. The frustration of not understanding her own emotions made her want to scream. She didn't want to leave but had to get away. Worse was that she known in her hearts heart, that she wanted to stay. Stay with him. But the castle… She just had to get away. She felt fear inside her again and forced it down. She couldn't go _there_. She couldn't be turned. She wouldn't be able to live with herself.

She was so scared. No, no she was not scared. She was fearless. She would be strong and escape. She felt herself wanting to cry and forced that down too. She didn't need to cry. That was all she had to tell herself. But the more she told herself somehow the less she believed it. _I am not afraid. I am not afraid. I am unafraid. I am… not afraid… I don't need to cry… I'm fine. I'm… I'm fine… I… I… __**Sob**__... I'm scared… someone, anyone… please… help me … I'm afraid …. Can't anyone help me? __**Sob hic!**__ I'm so frightened …_

Once again she wrapped her legs tightly about the horse and carefully lifted her hands off the bridle. It hadn't worked the last hundred or so times she had tired but it had to work sometime. She swayed dangerously on the horse but again didn't fall. She eyed him nervously ahead of her in case he knew what she was doing. Earlier when she had woken she threw all manners of shameful fits and jerked on the rope for hours in vain. His grip was like irons. She winced. Her wrists were reddened and raw and she wanted to stick them in water. But she couldn't give in to her fear. She forced back her fear and scolded herself for the tears. She couldn't give in to her fear. This time she waited until the horse would pull the rope tight to try it; she was waiting for the right moment to pull back. No one could help her now. She would have to help herself.

**Clop**-the horse jostles her-jerk backwards and slightly to the left-_whhhiiirrr_- the rope slackens-**clip**-the rope tautens-**_snip-_**jerk forwards and slightly to the right-she quickly jerked her body back- _**SNAP!**_

Not questioning her luck that the rope Vlad held had finally broke she grabbed the bridle and urged the horse to the left and down into the trees. She felt surprise. The horse didn't move. It just stood there and she looked at him and he seemed amused by her pitiful effort at escape. She trembled as he smoothly walked forward and took her in his arms bridle style. She struggled with the ropes and he ignored her squirming and continued to walk, just leaving the horse behind him to whatever fate it could meet in the mountains. She felt them starting to go even higher and she could feel the cold become worse. It was too cold… she couldn't help it but she started shivering. The higher they went the colder it got and the worse her shivers became.

He continued walking and she felt confused about how they were going so fast. He didn't seem to be running but he was just walking. He took only full length strides of his long legs. Yet the scenery moved by so quickly. They were so high up. Her lungs felt like they would burst. Her eyes burned from the cold so she pinched them closed. It was so cold! She couldn't feel her toes yet the new boots he had forced on her feet were filled with rabbit fur. She clenched her hands together and tried rubbing them but they felt numb. Numb and frozen. Her teeth started to chatter slight and she felt her bodies shaking become even more violent. The air became even thinner… So cold… her head spun. Surprise shot through her. **She couldn't breath!** She tried to gulp in air and what little she got burned her. It was so chilly! Can't breathe! She was so cold. She tried to cough and all that happened was her throat letting out the last of the air she needed. He continued walking higher still…

She tried to pound on his chest, shout, anything. But she couldn't. It was like being crushed by great jagged boulders. It was like being buried alive. It was like being underwater and not knowing which way was up.. Her vision was going black and her throat felt like it was being wrung. Her whole body felt like it was in a too small corset being constricted heartlessly. Her head screamed wordlessly for air. Her lungs blazed and begged for nourishment. She felt her arms going limp and her body relaxing. Her vision was black her heart felt like it was being compressed. Her body felt like it was spinning and still at the same time and she felt sick because it was like they were going faster and standing still. Her head felt so sluggish and slow. She tried to tell him.

_**VLAD! VLAD? VlAD! I NEED AI!. I'M DYING! VLAD! CANT YOU HEAR ME?**__**STOP**__! __**STOP**__… __**please I**__**need…**__ air… Vlad… stop… stop… pleas…. Sto… st…to…p…_

_It's so cold…. I feel so cold_… she felt her eyes begin to close and her heart slow… bmp-bmp-bmp…bmp-bmp-…

All of the sudden it was over. Her world spun and twisted and her chest and body tingled as she heaved in air in great shuddering gasps and coughs. Weakly she clutched at whatever she was holding as her body shuddered and her vision swam in spirals and circles. Her heart hammered slightly and fluttered every now and then. She felt her strength begin to return yet the sick feeling stayed. Her stomach turned and she groaned before curling up to steady her world. Her sight began to focus and she shivered. Some great yellow light flooded her eyes and dazzled her.

She could hear snaps and pops of some great fire and she felt the warmth as she trembled. Shivering she huddled closer to it but felt herself being restrained. She whined piteously trying to get closer to the fire or at least try to find a way to have both sides of herself warmed. Whatever she was laying on was warm also and she cuddled up closer trying to get any warmth she could. Soft and warm. She laid there with her eyes shut and continued her fit of shivers. She heard a great snap and flurries of embers flew by with great popping noises. Another log had been added. The fire blazed hotter and she stretched her legs out gratefully trying to get them exposed to the heat of the blazing fire.

But her legs wouldn't move for her because they shook too badly. Her teeth chattered horrible and her jaw clattered with clicks. She felt a hand grabbed her legs and stretch them out forcing them to be exposed to the heat of the flame. Her body began to warm and she could feel her back warming but her toes remained cold. Whoever was with her somehow heard this thought she felt her boots being removed. She made a noise of protest as she felt the cold air brush her bare feet but immediately felt better with them off and the fire warming them. Her shivers and shakes started to slow and her jaws clicks and clucks slowly subsided.

Her breathing calmed too. She felt so much better but still slightly dazed and so sleepy… her eyes fluttered… sleepy…. She snuggled even closer to the warm, soft thing she laid on and closed her eyes. She sighed and fell asleep…

He looked upon the sleeping girl in his lap. He knew it was dangerous to take her up in that area without letting her adjust to the elevation but they had no time for a three day camping rest so she could be accustomed. Besides castle Bran was in the belly of a depression in the mountain and she would have just had to get reacquainted with lower pressures. He as a vampire needed no time to adjust. He felt frustrated. Humans were so frail! He felt slightly regretful because the risk had nearly killed her but she lay curled in his lap safely asleep and warm, albeit exhausted, so he felt the reward was worth it. All he had needed was to be fast enough to reach the hundred mile mark and he could phase the rest of the way. Granted this made even him tired, especially since he had been walking in the sun the last few days but it was far more than worth it. Already he relaxed in his favorite chair in the catacombs of the castle. His room. He smirked. They could hardly call his room a catacomb. It was his alone and no one was allowed here save for three trusted people, now to be four. He grinned.

He rather wondered how long it would be before everyone saw the smoke and realized he was back. It would be interesting to see their reactions to his return. Especially the prize he brought back with him. He frowned. He needed his three aids to keep Seras a secret for as long as possible. Hopefully until she agreed to become his bride. He looked down at her in his lap. The color was returning to her face rather nicely and her breathing was nice and even. He felt entranced just by looking at her. Her pale face and hair seemed to glow in the firelight like liquid gold.

He closed his eyes and enjoyed the noise of her heartbeat. Soon that noise would stop. That noise had always been the smallest of tempting drum beats and the largest of exotic birds fluttering wings. It was Seras's noise and the sound of her heart beat of beautiful… He held himself back from a taste. She was still recovering slightly and they had been traveling hard for days. It had taken four weeks cooped up in the same room in a ship that tossed and turned to cross the ocean. Then when they finally docked her continuous attempts to escape. While they were amusing some of them nearly succeeded. Then the three week trek over two hundred miles that was much too slow for his taste. If he could just phase they would have been there in days, not months.

He studied his room and wrinkled his nose. It was covered in dust and the smells were rather unappealing. He would have to sleep and use to power to clear it up. His eye flickered to the desk. The letter he wrote explaining his decision to Sigismund and the other two still lay close to where he had put it. So they had read it and put it back down… The parchment was yellowing and curling at the edges. In fact the letter seemed to be a statement on his room. Everything looked yellow with age. His bookshelves were covered in dust and cobwebs. The aged door the led to the stairwell that went up was black with rot and was barley hanging on like it would crack in two any moment now. Even the stones beneath his feat were covered in filth. His eye scanned the ancient spinet in the corner and he felt content to leave that dusty. He never touched it anyways. His grin faltered for a moment when he saw the sword collection had dulled and lost its former luster. Such beautiful works… his grin returned. No matter all it would take was some use of power to restore the room.

His eyes returned to the fireplace. The wood was old and dry luckily or she was have been chilled to death or gotten black toes. He had never really used the fire place but now he felt glad it was here in the first place. He eyed his coffin feeling rather content. His beloved coffin… just another thing he had to leave behind when he followed little Seras to England. He had never imagined the small tiny girl he had decided to follow for amusement would become the women she was today or that he would want to make her his. When he had followed her to England she had been mostly a vice in his view to stave off boredom. A break in the tedious monotony of court life. He never tired of ruling but nothing had seemed interesting anymore. Like he had seen it all before and then some. It was very tedious dealing with human travel. He remembered that day well…

_He couldn't sleep and he growled in frustration for it… he was simply too old to need sleep. At his age he could stay awakes for weeks on end without feeding and feel fine. It was more out of enjoyment that he fed and the pleasant feeling of being refreshed that he bothers to try to rest. But now on blasted boat he found everything tedious and dull. Everything smelled of decaying ship rot and rats that had crept aboard. He would have studied the minds of the humans for amusement but he had already done that thrice times over and felt that he could glean nothing more of interest of their empty minds. Then earlier he had tried amusing himself in the confines of a spare coffin b listening to the sounds of the ship but that too grew dull before long._

_He had the fortune of choosing the same ship as Seras but she did not know he had followed her and soon he would be in England. He rather wanted to see the look on her face. But still this was dreary, being locked in a box that was in no way as comfortable as his coffin. While it certainly didn't kill him if he stepped out of his coffin, being over open waters would drain him if he were not lying on dirt from his birth place. So he stayed inside the box. He wanted to investigate the mind of the interesting child. It had been a full four months since he had met her and the inquisitive mind fascinated him. He found himself more often that not playing babysitter to her because never before had he felt fascinated and more alive than when he saw into the mind of the young girl who lay asleep above him._

_He snorted. Alive… it was paradoxical that the one emotional term to describe his state lately was the one word that could no longer be applied to him. Yet that was what the child did to him. The imaginings of the little girl were amusing and sometimes startling. He had as of late found himself more engrossed with the small child than that of the court or the filthy humans who were trying to pillage his castle and finding nothing; curtsey of the illusion. His mind wandered to seras again. He knew that some small children could see through it and he wondered if it was a fluke, if she would grow out of it in time. He felt himself relaxing and smiled. Ahhh. Finally. He seemed to find his puzzeling over the girl relaxed him and he got to sleep better and faster and today was no different. He needed sleep and he could feel it coming._


	12. Chapter 12

_Stiff-backed, hands clasped, hair trussed up high on her head, a gay yellow dress, father in the corner of the room, doing paperwork, playing chaperone, and she on the couch practicing her stitching. The height of summer in august and her father had thrown open a window hoping to tempt a breeze to ease the suffering. It was sweltering today. Yet she had been ordered to wear her best shawl and petticoat in her father's sitting room while she stitched waiting for her first suitor. Mindless stitching of flowers no one would ever look at. Stitching she hated working with. Worse was that stitching was the prelude she had to the boring formal event she despised even more that would take place next. Angrily she raised the needle and gave a particularly violent stab to the fabric. Stitching. Sewing. Knitting. Crocheting. Weaving._

Proper_**women's**__ work and _proper_ activities for a __**woman.**_

_Never mind that the annual summer festival was on today this morning. __**Women**__ were not allowed to attend on account of their 'delicate sensitivities'. Never mind that she might want to attend. Never mind that the finest cider drums this year from the apple orchards had been rolled out to be drunk by the _men_, because it behooved them to drink like drunkards and keep the best for themselves. Never mind that a festival would have been a perfect excuse to get away from the boring _men_ and the suitors that came calling daily. What was it to the _men_ if she wanted to dance and sing through the twilight till daybreak and be merry? No. She was to sit on her couch and pretend that she could not hear the crescendo of the lutes and bagpipes echoing over the dale and the valley from the village. No. it would not be proper. She was a duchess's daughter and a __**woman**__. She could not go. She was to be a good, dutiful doll and sit here, looking obedient and silent to wait for her dreadful suitors and their dreadfully boring ways to arrive. One by one they would come like rats carrying pox and carry on, all trying to impress her with how much money they had, or how much land, or how much status. When they left feeling full of themselves they would attend the festival and drink like greedy pigs. While her, ever faithful doll of her forefather's house, sat in the sitting room, stitching quietly. _

_And what would happen after the first suitor had left?_

_Why, oh what wondrous surprises! The _**next**_ suitor of the day would arrive not ten minutes later and the dreadful experience would repeat itself all over again! This would go on until she approached her father and said she desired only the company of a specific man, announcing her intent to marry and accepting courtship._

_She looked at the pink petal she had just finished with distaste. Mother had scolded her often enough for trying to make roses with many colors. She had taken them and throne them to the kitchens to be used as rags by Cookie. According to her instructor if she was feeling especially daring she could do a blue one. It was to be pink, red, white or she shan't stitch none at all. Furiously she focused on the ring where the fabric had been filed down and being held fast to and stabbed it angrily with the needle. She paused to see what she wrought and grinned. It looked as if the person who had stitched it was very angry and as long as mother understood that she was content. __**Oh dear, it looks as if a sword had been taken to it. Mother won't be pleased**__. She certainly was. She paused. Vlad was rubbing off on her… _

_She could not decide if that was a good thing. _

_Vlad seemed to be the only male in existence she knew at the moment that wasn't like the other men. He understood and knew that women were not to be caged quiet creatures. He treated her as a person and with respect. What's more is that he was her friend and was very protective. She couldn't disagree there was a certain arrogance about him, but he was never overly boastful about it so it was tolerable. She was not sure, however if it was because he was a man or because he was not human. She didn't think him to be boastful mostly because he could actually back his claims and did not do it to impress her or anyone around. It was more that he was merely self-satisfied with himself and his own sense of arrogance lied in the way he decided if he wanted something he would get it._

_She raised her arm to bring the needle up and it pulled on the fabric of her corset causing her to gasp. She lowered it and tried to get more air in_

_She could scarcely breathe or speak. __**Women**__ were not to speak above a quiet whisper anyways. Not that her suitor would notice if she spoke at all. They were too absorbed in what they thought of themselves and trying to impress her. She snorted. The aristocrats were all the same. All so self important. It was worse with the males. Everywhere she looked were self-satisfied _men_ who did not work and thought themselves masters of everything simply because they had money. Only the poor or low class who worked hard, people of decent ways, that seemed to be remotely human to her. Children starved in the streets and she did what she could by giving them old gifts from her suitors so that they could sell them. She may be a lady in the eyes of royalty once she reached eighteen and therefore eligible to join the court, but she knew what evil was; and it was beheld in the face of a wealthy aristocrat._

_. She paused and breathed in deeply, trying to get any air she could through the corset. _

_Corsets. The essential item in __**women's**__ clothing. Who decided they were necessary? They were considered naked without them. Yet to her it seemed as though corsets were only a symbol of her life. Her parents and the rules were the corset and she the free spirit constrained inside. She could not breathe or think for herself. Well that was not true, she could think but was not allowed to act on those thoughts. _Men_ were the corset that made up the seams of the clothing that held together the stifling ways. Rules and society was the main ensemble of the fabrics. Her parents were the metal wires that ran through the stitching serving to further constrict her being and enforce the rules. All the while the heat of summer raged on searing her from the inside and she was not allowed reprieve._

_**Knock**__ knock._

_Her father called in the servant who announced the arrival of Lord Blackwood. She sighed quietly and forced a smile which faltered when her back sent a lance of soreness to her._

_She suppressed the groan of pain. Her back was cracking like shale if she so much as moved it. To have a straight back was proper else she be thought a child or commoner with no manners. Worse was that she had to spend the first hour of the afternoon with Lord Blackwood on a come calling visit. The ill fate that had been cast upon her! He was the most pompous man she had ever the ill misfortune to meet. She could get through the dreary afternoon if she could just relax her back once. _

_Covertly she glanced over her shoulder at her father in his sitting chair. He was reading a letter from her cousin Mallory who had joined court life a half summer ago before the last festival on the all hallows eve. He seemed very engrossed and was waiting for the lord to reach the upstairs sitting room. Certainly he would not notice? If she was very careful about it?_

_Slowly she leaned back on the chaise and relaxed her spine. She smiled in satisfaction at the feel of her back. Oh that felt so good! She basked in the glow of her poor muscles relief until she heard her father clear his throat loudly. She looked behind her to see his reproving glare at her lack of decorum. He saw her smile and his frown deepened making his brows a severe "V". Her smile faltered, and then her whole face slackened in defeat. She sat back forward, straightening her backbone, squaring her shoulders and went back to stitching quietly. _

_Lord Blackwood entered and she quickly smoothed out her skirts wrinkles, put her legs together obediently tucking them under the chaise to the left. While her father greeted him she lowered her eyes to the floor like a good girl and went back to sewing in silence. _

_For Seras Victoria, one thing was certainly true: _

_The heat of summer… was not __**nearly**__ as stifling as the formality of her life._

She opened her eyes blearily. Where was she? Where was Vlad? Were they on another ship? She looked behind her and found she was alone. He was not in the coffin? She felt a thrill of fear. She reached up and touched the lid. Yes, she was in the coffin. It felt like cool rock. Smoother than brick but more course than marble. Granite maybe? It was fine craftsmanship to have it so smooth and flat for a stone coffin. It wasn't the wood coffin she had seen Vlad keep. She blinked. She put both hands on th lid and pushed hard. It didn't give in the slightest. She couldn't get out. She bit her lip nervously. Surely he wouldn't just leave her here?

She put her hands more towards the middle and used her knees, pushing and heaving it. she felt it slid and gift a little. She huffed, encouraged, and pressing harder, straining her tendons. More, just a little more. There was an inch wide crack towards the top and she slid her finger tips in pushing and pulling until there was a foot wide space at the top. Using both arms she pressed hard and finally she could get out. Carefully she looked out and found herself in what looked to be a large study. There were dusty shelves that looked to have very old scrolls in them. A collections of swords glinted off a grand fireplace sending starlets of colored light from emeralds and rubies everywhere.

Her eyes flickered around and she made a point to look in the corners to see if Vlad was there. He wasn't. her face heated at the memory of what had happened last time he had been waiting in a corner while she realized she was wearing a dress. Thankfully she hadn't been changed this time and was still in the same dress. She wouldn't have been able to see were it not for the fireplace and she shivered. It was rather cold and the fire place did wonders but she speculated it would have been completely frigid without it. She gathered the emerald velveteen cloak around her tighter. Slowly she stood up shivering from the cold feeling in her feet. When had her boots gotten off?

Carefully she began putting her feet over the edges. Her gripped tightened and she froze with fright when something began licking her foot. She squealed and pulled it up. Fearfully she looked and saw Baskervilles. Oh no, Vlad's familiar. The demon hounds red eyes stared at her and he whimpered hungrily. She sulked. The only way to distract him would be to give him tome blood and she didn't have a knife. She couldn't get away with him here. He'd tell Vlad.

"Tell me what?" she jumped and turned around staring at him as he came through the wall looking pleased about something. Her heart pounded and she shifted uneasily. She hadn't forgotten what he said he wanted her for and she had a thrill of fear run through her. he grinned looking very satisfied with himself, as if he had won whatever game they were playing. "Well?"

She didn't answer. She clenched her legs together fearfully. He noticed and frowned. He strode forward and picked her up. She struggled and he ignored it, striding over to a armchair in front of the fire. He sat down holding her in place before gripping her chin to look into his eyes. He spoke softly and very gently. His baritone was like whispered lullabies and his words soothed her fears making her relax.

"Seras, I have had many opportunities to take advantage of you for the last month. I am not the sort of man who would do that and do not imagine that I would do so. Monster I may be but even I cannot be that sort of monster."

She looked at his face for the truth and slowly relaxed. What ever may have gone on in the last year and half this was still Vlad. This was still Alucard. She could believe him couldn't she? His grinned widened and his eyes turned a darker scarlet. Her hand went over to stroking her hair. His deep voice came out like a satisfied silk purr but his words terrified her like a toll of church funeral bells; wholly inescapable.

"Rest assured Seras, when the time comes you will want me. You will be begging me to take you. When I get what I want, and I _**will**_ get what I want, you will stand at my side as my dark child and bride."

0o0o0o0o

Okay, for those who say not much happened… well, action wise you would be right but I have to set up a basis for the story. So I wanted to go into detail about Seras's life and set up just one more reason she would feel drawn to Alucard. Also for those who think I'm a woman's activist and/or a man hater. Wrong. There is a difference between the two. Neither is a man-hater the same as a woman's activist. I'm neither a woman's activist but I'm also not a anti-woman's activist. Certainly I think we women should have the same amount of rights as any man but you wont see me talking about it. I'm not a man-hater either. For those of you who are a woman's activist: good for you!

I just feel like I have to clear that up. I don't know why. Probably because I'm coming off as a man-hater with Seras's point of view chapters. I'm just trying to give inaccurate and realist view of what Seras might feel.

So we see here the progression of there relationship and Alucard taking the time to explain his plan to win her over. We see Seras get more character development and next chapter some really cool flashbacks happen. Obviously Seras is still plotting her escape and what better to play truant than a lovable, cuddly demon hound dog? *giggles* I'm procrastinating as we speak just by writing this. I have an essay that was due last Friday while I was sick and I have to turn it in tomorrow. I only have the heading. I'm pretty sure my mom has disapproval about procrastinating.

*mom walks in.*

Mom: have you done your essay?

Author: err, I have the header?

Mom: your going to be a procrastinator your whole life, _aren't you_?

Author smiles at her joke: you'll see.

-He will knock four times


	13. Chapter 13

Okay so I neglected to tell you guys that in the last flashback Seras is seventeen years old. In this flashback she is six and half and it's the meeting where Alucard shows himself and announces he is here to stay.

Sigh. It seems like this is a flashback only chapter and some of you might rage at me for that. But I have been neglecting telling you the story from the beginning. When I wrote his story I started right in the middle. I started with the chase right before the church. I didn't start with the meeting or Vlad following little Seras to England. I started with Seras running for hell and high water and a monster wolf chasing her.

One thing though, normally up here I would tell you the age. Not the case at all here, because this chapter has, like, a dozen or so flashbacks. It's more accurately a memory chapter.

xXxXxX

**(Six 5/12: First second meeting.)**

_She squeaked fearfully, drawing the blankets up to her chin fearfully. The wind blew outside and the house groaned like it was going to swallow her alive. Shadows played across the nursery floor from the trees and it looked like creatures running across the floor with teeth that pulled and claws that catch. From the small amount of light she could see most of the room was in darkness. She tried to play her head games to make it less scary. __**Just because it was dark doesn't mean there was anything to fear. Dark could be anywhere. In fact light could be feared just as much as dark and-**_

_The lightning flashed and she ducked under the covers. She had woken up minutes ago and she didn't know why. She didn't think it was the storm. she had the eerie feeling of being watched. That sort of feeling when you think you're alone but eyes bore into the back of your shoulder blades and every time you turned around it was gone and no one was there. That sort of feeling where when you turned back the watcher continued spying and you could feel them. That sort of feeling where it isn't hostile but neither is it your friend. That sort of feeling where you cannot see who was following you unless it was from the very corner of your eye, where you could swear you had seen something but could never swear upon it._

_She tried to make it less frightening by reciting that rhyme her father had taught her. It was funny. __**The house that did creak/ oh the ghouls that did shriek/ the cook whose food was a freak/**_

_She curled up tighter. When father was here it was funny because of that voice he did but now all by herself in the dark it only made her feel more scared. She heard a quiet chuckle and stiffened. It was a man's voice, deep and full of amusement. Feeling braver than she thought she was she sat up and slowly pulled the blanket down from her face. She looked around the room only to settle on red eyes staring at her. She blinked._

"_Alucard?" she couldn't believe it. She could make the outline of him in the dark and he was certainly tall enough. He strode forward into the light._

"_So, the little kitten is afraid of the dark?" his voice was full of amusement like he had discovered her doing something silly._

_She stiffened. He was making fun of her! She'd show him!_

"_Who said I was afraid of the dark? Who says anyone is afraid of the dark?" she saw his head cock to the side and a grin came on his face showing those fangs of his. He looked the hatter men father said to avoid._

"_Interesting. I was under the impression all humans feared the dark, specifically children."_

"_Only what's in the dark. Not the dark itself. _**I**_ am not afraid of the dark in the slightest." His grinned widened._

"_Oh really? Then what might you fear that's in the dark?" she paused for a moment._

"_Me? Nothing. I don't fear you so what is there to fear in the dark? Besides, the dark is beautiful. " he raised his head back and laughed at this. Chuckling he continued speaking to her._

"_You don't fear me child?" he stared for a moment and his lips twitched in a smile, full of amusement and mirth. He said calmly after a pause, studying her. "No., I don't think you do fear me." He paused for a second. "You should."_

"_Why?" she asked innocently. She hadn't realized how she had sounded to him. Like an inquisitive child full of wide-eyed innocence looking at a teacher for guidance. He seemed to think on it for a moment._

"_That is an answer that should be left for another time."_

_She pouted and he grinned. "That's what mother and father always say. 'when you're older', 'when you grow up'."_

_He bent over to her level until she was an inch from his face and those large red eyes glowed at her. "Good children are willing to accept what their parents tell them as the right thing. So if I were to tell you 'when you're older' wasn't that not the right thing?"_

"_Yes." She waited a second. "Why are you here?" she sounded confused. She didn't think she would see him again._

"_I was bored of the castle and the people in it. So I am here to stay."_

_She blinked and stared. She wanted to ask more questions but she knew that grownups don't like prying. "All right."_

_He straightened back up. Her eyes widened and her fists clenched. She could feel it coming and he would do what mother did if he saw. Her eyes watered slightly and she felt her jaw trying to jerk down. She fought to clench her jaw shut. Her lungs jerked and expanded before shrinking and expanding again. Finally she lost and yawned widely. He grinned and she pouted knowing what he was going to say._

"_Time to sleep."_

"_But I want to stay up with you. I'm not at all ti-ti-tir-ahhhhh-wwnnnhahhh." He smirked at her second yawn, not fooled in the slightest. He pushed on her shoulders making her lay down._

"_Go to sleep __mic__pisoi__. I will be here when you wake."_

XxXxXx

**(Six 6/12: Daytime loneliness.)**

"_YOU LIAR!" She hadn't done anything. She had just told the truth. She had shared her greatest secret with her friend, trying to make her part of it._

"_Mary… I-I am not lying…" her friends green eyes seemed so hostile… so angry… her tiny fists balled up looking like she was going to lash out. It made Seras cringe back._

"_YES YOU ARE! IT'S NOT TRUE! THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS VAMPIRES!" her tiny voice trilled at her angrily. Seras bit her lip to keep from crying. What had she done? It stung._

_She pleaded with Mary. "But I'm not a liar! It's real! He's real! Look! I can prove it! If you go to my room at night, he will visit me!"_

_It only made her more angry and she screamed all the louder. "YOU THINK YOU'RE SO MUCH BETTER THAN ALL OF US SO YOU GO AND MAKE UP STORIES TO IMPRESS US!"_

_Now Seras was angry. Friends always told each other the complete truth and believe what the other said. Now her friend was calling her a liar and haughty. "I AM NOT A LIAR! YOU'RE JUST JEALOUS BECAUSE I MADE A FRIEND AND HE CAN DO ALL THESE THINGS I TOLD YOU ABOUT!"_

"_WELL IF YOU HAVE A NEW FRIEND YOU WONT BE NEEDING ME ANYMORE!" with that she marched off leaving Seras in the hay field. alone._

_She fumed. How dare she accuse her of lying? She had only told the truth and tried to welcome her friend to be with her and Vlad. Well that was fine. She didn't need Mary. She was just fine with Mother and father and Vlad._

XxXxX

**(Six 7/12)**

_The bells rang announcing the end of church. She looked down at her toes as mary and all the others ran past her to the field to play. Edmund didn't even stop to ask if she wanted to join them. None of the kids did. She was left with the adults._

_Alone._

_She felt her eyes burn and she bit her lip. No! she was a big girl! She was strong. She would be strong like Alucard. She didn't need Mary. Or Edmund. Or Vallery. Or Molly. Her lip trembled. Her eyes watered. _

_No. she was fine. She didn't need friends._

XxXxX

**(Six 11/12: Games.)**

_Creeeeaaakkk. She ducked behind the tree. The wind blew making the trees rustle. Whiiirrrrwhooooo. She shivered from the cold and squinted. She tried not to giggle. He had said if she did she would be caught easier. She couldn't help it though. This game made her feel so girlish. She pressed her fist against her mouth smiling, feeling the laugh pressing against her mouth making strangled noises and she tried to restrain her laughter. Smgggmmmaahh._

_Hide and seek was always her favorite game!_

_She flattened herself sideways against the bark and bent her shoulders inwards. She didn't put her head around the tree because he said that left her open to her other side and she could not watch for predators as easily. She left her head sideways, flat against the bark and watched from the corner of her eye for movement._

_The bark dug slightly into her scalp and she could feel her hair catching on it. She ignored it. Another shiver came through her and she wished she had brought her jacket and had kept her shoes. She curled her bare toes against the stone underneath her feet. She could the water fountains ear the mason arch near the azalea and ivy. She got that prickly feeling in her spin and felt uneasy. She was staying still and didn't like it._

_She grabbed her night dress in her hands and dashed to the next tree and turned around to face whatever was there. She strained her eyes, squinting as she stared in the darkness. She couldn't see anything or anyone but the gloomy nighttime around her. It was so dark out! Her heart beat faster in thrill. She had that feeling of being watched again. Slowly she slid her feet along the stone backing away. She could hide in the rose garden…_

_Or not. _

_She backed right into a solid body. She felt herself jump, startled and made a shrill 'yeep'. Long arms came around her and she was spun around to face him. She craned her neck to see him and he was cracking a grin with a fang poking out. His crimson eyes looked amused. _

"_I have caught you. My turn." All of the sudden he was gone and she looked around. Her head whipped back and forth and her hair hit her face. She closed her eyes and tried to hear anything. She heard a small crack and pouted. He was taking pity on her!_

_She swiveled her head around towards the area with the water fountain. She stifled anther giggle. She was going to get him!_

XxXxX

**(Seven 1/12: My secret.)**

"_Dinner is finished."_

_She had never been so excited to hear that in her entire life. She hopped out of her chair and asked to be excused. Her father gave her his consent, already retiring to the smoking room with the other men. She dashed out of the dining room to the main hall where the stairway was and ran up it as fast as she could. She smiled excited. She reached the top and turned left. She ran to her room at the far left. Mother and father called it the 'nersery'._

_She opened he door feeling excited. She closed it and ran over to the oil lamp and turned it off. She turned around and beamed happily. There he sat, grinning as wide as ever. He stretched out his hand._

"_Walk in the garden with me kitten__."_

XxXxX

**(Seven 4/12: Why?)**

"_Why is my hair yellow and other peoples brown?"_

"_Because they are born that way."_

"_But why?" _

_He raised an eyebrow. The little girl before him, with an air of naivety only a child could possess assumed the adults around her knew the answers to everything, and was now asking questions about anything and everything. Her questions were an endless stream of curiosities desire for knowledge she thought only an adult could quench. Questions that was amusing to him. This had started lately. She had started asking millions of questions about whatever came to mind. Things like "why is grass green?" and "why does the sun and moon rise and fall?"_

"_Because they are."_

"_Then why are your eyes red?"_

_He grinned. "Because it's the color of what I eat."_

"_Oh. Why is it different?"_

"_Because it is. I consume my food and it sustains me and the color of my eyes."_

"_Then what do you eat?"_

"_Blood."_

"_Really?"_

"_Yes."_

_"Why?"_

"_Because I must."_

"_But why?"_

"_Because I am a vampire."_

"_When did you become one?"_

"_Over two hundred years ago."_

"_Then who are your parents that made you a vampire?"_

"_Most vampires are not born but turned."_

"_Really?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Which were you?"_

"_I was neither."_

"_How?"_

"_Why do you think I would know that?"_

_She stared for a moment as if she didn't understand what he meant, because to her mind what adult _didn't_ know everything? Then she spoke again with another question bubbling forth from her lips._

"_Why did you leave your castle?"_

"_Because I grew bored and you were interesting." He would have thought that would have answered her questions. He couldn't have been more wrong._

"_But __**why**__?"_

XxXxX

**(Seven 8/12: who is bullying?)**

"_**Seras, Seras all out of tiaras. Thinks she's so great and perfect. Can't tell a truth so everything she says is moot. Worth nothing but a rotted old boot**__." _

_She glared at them as they chanted around her. They were making fun of her, singing a rhyme. Mary had not told them that she said she had a vampire in her room at night, but she had told them all these lies. She told them that she, seras, thought she was better than everybody because her parents were richer than everyone. Mary had told them that she was a great big liar too. It wasn't true! She couldn't help that her parents had done well for themselves. She couldn't help that her mother was a duchess. She couldn't help that Mary wouldn't believe her about Alucard. _

_She couldn't help that she felt lonely._

_She felt hurt though. And betrayed. Watching what were her friends walking in circles around her singing that song. Mary was singing the loudest. Followed by Edmund and then molly with Vallery looking mean and angry at the end of the circle. It used to be that they would go to the field to play when their mothers weren't looking and play. They would run when bullies came._

_Now everything was reversed. She was the crying child and they were the bullies. Only she wasn't crying. Not yet. Her lip trembled and she balled her fists. NO! She is strong. Alucard said she is strong so that means she is. He wouldn't tell her lies like that. She looked at Mary singing her heart out. Saw the way that her friend had turned on her. Saw her singing words to hurt. that the jeering and angry words being sung. Saw Vallery swing her arms in an attempt to grab a lock of her hair and yank._

_And she felt angry. _

_So angry. Mary had done this. Mary had turned everyone against her. Mary was the source of her hurt. Her arms shook with anger and she grit her teeth as Mary's tiny red head titled back as she marched singing even louder. She had no idea what happened. One minute Edmund and Molly were jeering around her, making faces and Mary was singing and hurting her._

_The next Edmund, Molly, and Vallery were running away to fetch their mothers; Mary was screaming and crying on the ground with blood coming out her noise and soaking the front of her dress._

XxXxX

**(Seven 10/12: You're it!)**

_She sat on the bed of the flowers looking at the dark sky. The moon was so pretty. Alucard was right. This was beautiful. She had no idea why she ever feared it. she looked over him as he crouched on the ground. She blinked. He looked the same as ever. Same black hair. Same pale face. Same fangs, red eyes and manic grins. It was odd. He truly never changed._

_Not like father. Father and mother and grandma were always looking older. So did she. Everyone said she had grown big. But how could that be? She had always been this big, right? Grandma said she had grown bigger and would be full of energy, unlike herself. Grandma said she was feeling tired lately._

_Alucard looked over and she started, feeling sheepish for having been caught staring. She got an idea. She jumped up, her night gown bouncing behind her, and run up to him. She tapped him on the shoulder before turning around and dashing away. She giggled, calling out behind her._

"_YOUR IT!"_

XxXxX

(**Seven 11/12: Ashes to ashes**)

"_-and to the almighty god we commend the soul of our sister Eileen Victoria, dearly departed. We celebrate her existence. And we commit the body. Birth to birth. Ashes to ashes Dust to dust. She-"_

_A sea of black amid a green field. A sea of living people amid the dead. A sea of empty land amid the graves. She looked down through her black veil at the casket feeling strange. Grandma was gone. Mother said she was dead. Grandma had gone to sleep and didn't wake up. Now grandma was in the casket. They were going to bury her. why? They said it was because she was dead. Alucard had explained death but she just didn't understand. How could someone just die? _

_Mother said she had gotten too old and that it was like going to sleep after a long day. Mother had cried._

_Alucard said death was the confirmation of mortal life, that they had died of old age, and there was a beauty to aging before dying. Alucard had smiled._

XxXxX

**(Eight 3/12: I don't want to sleep.)**

_She gave in to her bodies demand and yawned. She looked over and groaned. He had noticed. He grinned. The inevitable happened._

"_Bedtime."_

"_I don't want to sleep." She argued like always._

"_You're going to." There was a note of warning she usually saw in adults that came to his voice._

'_I don't want to. I want to stay up."_

_He stared for a moment before walking over and picking her up. He held her in his arms, against his chest._

"_What are you doing?"_

"_I want to try something."_

"_What?" Her protests forgotten she looked at him curiously.  
_

"_just listen. Lean your head against me and close your eyes while I count."_

_She huffed. "Why?" he smiled, like he was trying not to laugh._

"_Just do it."_

_she closed her eyes and leaned against him while he counted, wondering what he was doing._

"_1… 2… 3… 4… 5…" her eyes grew heavy and her body relaxed. "9… … 15… 16… … 25…"_

_He stood there grinning, looking down at the small sleeping body in his arms. He marveled at how tiny and light she was in his arms. She was practically nothing in his arms and she looked so fragile. He smirked. For such an intelligent child she was still easily manipulated._

XxXxX

(Eight 5/12: learn.)

_She sat on the floor of her room reading a poem. He had shown up earlier looking at it in interest. It was a confusing poem. She couldn't understand it. something about a bird and a cliff. It was confusing. Alucard liked it._

"_Shall I tell you about my race?__" she gazed at him curiously. The question had come up so suddenly._

_She nodded eagerly. He grinned. "Well first you should know is that vampires can do many things but what they are most known for-"_

OoOoOoO

Okay. So I did it up to age nine. I've filled in some blanks. Sort of. And had fun doing it. time to submit. Yay! I've got two chapters submitted at once and fun will ensue.

Oooh! I have to tell you all this story (its so cute and funny):

So, I'm taking child development. Part of this course at my high school actually involves running a preschool daycare center with little three and four year olds. The theme was ocean weak. We are encouraged to ask the kids questions about the ocean. I asked one little boy named Milo

Me: have you ever been to the ocean?

Milo: No… but I've been to the beach.

Lolz isn't that the cutest?

-He will knock four times.


	14. Chapter 14

SURPRISE! TWO CHAPTERS SUBMITTED AT ONCE! EXCITING ISNT IT? I know I am.

In this flashback Seras is seventeen, I know it seems like filler but I'm showing what happened in the beginning and the next chapter has some important stuff in them.

xXxXxX

_There it was. The distinct buzzing in her ear. And how pleasant it was to get it. She usually waited for the buzzing to begin a fake attentive face at moments like these. She had been doing it so long she had her acting down to the letter. The buzzing under any other circumstance would have annoyed her but her it was the most delightful thing in the world. All voices were just background noise and murmurs like people speaking while she had her head underwater._

_Sir John Chizervick was the second to last visitor. She had barely withstood the loud boasts and spittle that flew from his mouth while he spoke of driving his oxen. He was a nice man in her opinion. Slightly boastful about his oxen but in any other topic of conversation she found him pleasant company. He had the unfortunate tendency to spit slightly when he had been talking for a while but a nice man all the same. He was not bad looking either. Good muscles and a fair face to go with brown locks of hair. He was only twenty three so he was not too old._

_Father would have chosen well, in her opinion, if sir Chizervick could actually read or write; or have shown any intellectual interests. True, out of any of the men mother and father had selected Chizervick was the kindest and nicest. He was not overly vulgar but just clumsy with his words, especially around women. He was a slightly rough but a fair gentleman who had learned his manners, even if without his letters. Chizervick was a knight who patrolled parts of England near cheddar and he prized his livelihood on his oxen that were said to be the finest in England. She did find him nice and she had him on her list of potential. _

_. He towered above like Vlad, albeit broader, and she wondered how alike he would look to Vlad with black hair and paler skin. In her opinion he was like the clumsy oxen he farmed. Large, but gentle and harmless. Like some gentle giant. He was also very kind and loved to listen to what she had to say._

_That made him the fifth man out of twenty-seven suitors who listened to what she had to say and seemed to enjoy her company in genuine consideration. It also made him the fifth man she had an eye on as a potential suitor. He was decent and not like the others. She imagined a little baby with brown hair and blue eyes and liked it very much. She had a pain in her chest, a twinge of regret. She paused her sowing for a moment trying to understand this. _

_This felt… wrong, somehow._

**Again.**

_It always felt wrong. Whenever a suitor came she felt like she should not be with anyone of them. Like they were wrong for her and she should be with someone else. Yet she could not understand it. She felt ashamed of herself. Mother said that when she married eventually she would come to love her husband and that it would feel right. _

_Yet every time she was in the company of a man she felt an incredible longing to be with someone else. An image of Vlad came to her and she felt confused. Ever since she was sixteen this had been happening. Was it because she did not favor the men? Was it because Vlad treated as a person and listened to what she had to say that she wished to be in his company at this moment?_

_Even worse was the guilty feeling that came up inside her whenever she had men on a list of possible she would consider marriage with. She felt like it was eating her alive and she felt such a deep sense of shame afterwards. She felt like she had done something wrong and indecent, like kiss a married man on the lips or have a tryst with a man. She felt like a trollop or some sort of harlot when she sat here with men who wanted her hand. It was the main reason she hated them so much._

_At first it had all been because they were suitors and the reason she had lessons for her finishing. But now it was because they made her ashamed of herself and she had no idea why. She dare not tell anyone of this, even Vlad for he would laugh at her. Though she wondered if Vlad would laugh. He positively hated all of her suitors. Each and every one of them and it was as though he had a personal grudge with them. She wondered why he loathed them so much. After a moments thought she dismissed it. He was just protective of her, which was all._

_he had always been particularly protective of her general wellbeing. Even the games he played which had a dangerous edge to them would not be carried too far. He always seemed to draw the line at real harm and the danger was always just scare tactics designed to frighten or intimidate. He became dangerously angry whenever she got hurt at the hands of someone else though and it took all her efforts to calm him._

_She nearly jumped in surprised when the evening bell rang from the church, its gonging announcing the end of the visit from one sir John Chizervick. She looked up as sir Chizervick paused in his story and he looked embarrassed that he had not the present of mind to announce the end of his visit and thank them for their consideration. He had been so engrossed in his story and trying to share his love of his beloved oxen that he had forgotten himself and the time as well._

_A rosy blush came to his face, which she found rather attractive mostly because he was mannered enough to remember his gaffe and be embarrassed about it. He wiped his mouth and straightened his jacket before taking her hand and kissing it. He thanked her for her time and hurriedly apologized for talking the whole time. He did not seem to mind her reply when she spoke up, and was happy that she excused his mistake. He went to speak with her father and she wondered again if Sir Chizervick could be he man she would marry. _

_Again that frustrating guilt bit at her chest and that sense of wrongness lagged in the back of her mind, tugging and pulling her hair like a angry child wanting attention. She felt like a tart, a harlot, a scarlet woman. She schooled her face and quashed the emotion. She was just being uncertain about getting married. That was it. she just had fears about getting married. That's all. It was silly. If she wanted to be a mother she would have to marry a man. She felt an ache of longing and jealousy. _

_She thought her cousin Clarisse who had visited, dandling a blonde babe on her lap. The ugly green monster grew bigger._

_She thought of Mary who held hands with her husband with such a content smile at church. That greedy feeling and longing growled in her chest. _

_She thought of Carrabelle who had been announced to wed come spring. She burned with envy. _

_She wanted a beautiful little babe to call her own. She wanted to learn what love with a man was. She wanted to be wanted. _

_She thought of her mother with father at evening in front the fire curled up, growing old together, stealing kisses when they thought no one was watching._

_Then she thought of herself. Aunt was right. There was nothing as blissful and wonderful as having love. So why did she feel so terrible when her suitors came and she wondered which she would call husband?_

_The door opened and in hurried Elizabeth who grabbed her wrist and pulled her up off the couch. Her sowing and embroidery fell too the ground with a clatter. Stunned by the strange event she was too startled to react and simply let herself be pulled along. Elizabeth seemed flushed and panicked. Seras didn't understand. What was going on? She had a suitor coming within the hour. The last suitor and she would have a rest before dinner. She had not met this one before because he was new. He would make number twenty-eight. She hadn't caught his name because when father told her she had not been listening. Though truthfully Seras was curious about this one. She wondered what he would be like._

_All she could think was the visit to be over and then dinner afterwards she could see Vlad. At least being with him felt right. She didn't feel ashamed in the slightest being around him. Why was that?_

"_Elizabeth!" she complained. "What on gods good Earth is going on?"_

_The maid tugged her to the door and down the hall swiftly headed for her room, practically running. Their heeled boots clacked on the floor that had been lacquered creating a frenzied beat of what sounded like bottled glass thudding on tile. Still Elizabeth did not answer and it only seemed to galvanize the young woman to pull her harder. Seras thought her arm would come off if it was yanked anymore. _

_Elizabeth flew past little Ben who yelled in surprised and flattened himself against the walls to make way. She frantically ran Seras down the hall with the air of a distressed woman on a crusade with no way out. They reached the door of her room and Elizabeth gave a cry of triumph. She didn't even ask permission first; she just hauled her in and after the door was shut, without preamble started unlacing her dress. She scrabbled with the lacing, using curse words Seras had never heard of. Seras obediently put her arms out in the air to help even as she complained about the ridiculousness of this._

"_Elizabeth! What on Earth are you doing? I am dressed and father won't be pleased to hear I am being stripped when we have guests coming."_

"_Pardon me lady Seras but you'll want to let me do this!"_

"_Don't call me that dreadful title! And why do I have to get changed? I look just fine! I have a suitor coming and I have to be dressed! " _

_The dress was finally unlaced and she slipped it off before working on the chemise. Seras sighed in relief. The day had cooled off considerably and with the dress off she felt so much better. Truthfully she would have given anything on the planet to have been out of that dreadful yellow dress. It was meant for spring and why on Earth Millicent had insisted on it in the height of the summer solstice was beyond her._

_The woman continued with the tied breathing heavily before she caught her breath to answer. "Yes milady but I must get you changed for this one." _

_Seras blinked. This was new. She frowned in confusion. "Why? We have never had me change for a suitor before. What makes this one different?"_

_Elizabeth giggled and said slyly. "Oho! Curious are we? That's a first!" there was a teasing tone to it that plainly stated the maid was going to torment her for the information. She huffed. Why hadn't she listened to father instead of letting gossipy Elizabeth give her the facts? Now father would know she had asked and would think to give this one special consideration!_

_The maid heard her huff and laughed. "Well this is Lord James Claverfeld. He is a man of great learning, status and wealth. Your mother found him to be perfect and he apparently heard of the stunning lady near Birmingham whose head could not be turned. So he wrote a letter asking to be a suitor. I have heard about him through the rumor mill you know."_

_Seras tried not to let out a gasp of sarcastic shock at that. Her friend Liza… a part of the London rumor mill? Who would have guessed? The chemise came off and she started on the corset while continuing. _

"_He is fair to women and ladies. He doesn't smoke or drink or gamble. Best of all, milady you'll like, is that there are no scandals like abuse or cruelty. None. Not like that Ascroby ruffian your mother wanted and I had the pleasure of getting her informed of the knowledge that he had been seen in a inappropriate embrace with a manservant outside the Dale Side inn"_

_She bit her lip to keep from asking questions. Elizabeth would think she was interested if she asked. She had not met the man yet. But he did sound… nice. Of course her undoing was the next part when Elizabeth spoke again making sure to put emphasis on the last word."_

"_He is a fine gentleman who likes all sorts of fine literature. And _**art**_."_

"_What kind of art?" she clamped her mouth shut, wanting to kick herself for being so stupid. Idiot! She could practically feel the victorious grin from behind her and she dared not look behind her at the no doubt smug maid. _

"_Paintings. We must get you washed and changed into something more elegant rather than the simple, gay attire of a yellow day dress. Perhaps that red dress of yours. Though why you never wear it is a mystery to me." Elizabeth leaned in conspiratorially and whispered. "He is said to be a very handsome gentlemen bachelor of nineteen. Only a year and a half older than you are. Interested milady?"_

_Against her will she __**did**__ find herself interested. She felt angry and confused because she could not figure out why but the shame burned her stomach all the more._

Nervously she walked down the hall trying not to trip. She had not been here for more than three days but it could have been longer depending on how long she had been asleep. She followed Baskervilles that was making sure to keep a close eye on her. She had already tried falling behind and escaping but the hellhound would simply turn to stare at her until she picked up her pace. Vlad and the hound both knew her game and weren't having any of it. The hound was still sweet and playful but any attempt to escape had been responded to by a lot of snarls and teeth baring. It had gotten so she had not seen the sun for a while and had no idea of whether it was day or night.

She eyed the walls and shadows expecting to see the pale people of her hazy memories from so long ago. She half expected them to jump out at her in hunger. Every flutter of a torch or shadow was a pale person yet there was nothing but stone. It was so… quiet. So eerily quiet. There was no noise whatsoever. It was like a void that ate all sound had taken up residence here. There was only the soft clicks of the women's boots and the rustle of the red gown she had been given. If she hadn't known better she would have thought the castle to be abandoned.

Yet she _did_ know better. She could feel it again. That feeling between her shoulder blades as if someone was watching her and it took all the effort she could to resist squirming or running in fear. This feeling was different. It felt hostile and as if it wanted her gone. She felt like she was being studied the way a scientist studied an ant they wanted to squash. She had some intuition that it was not Vlad who watched her.

The spy just stared, the angry eyes she could not see boring themselves into her back but they made no move to act on their emotions from what she could tell. No. this was not Vlad; he was waiting for her in the dining hall where she would get human food. The way Vlad had offered her invitation to dinner made her shiver. It was just the way he had said it. She stopped right in front of Baskerville who had come to a stop before a set of stairs that led downwards. She looked down on the stairs uneasily. Somewhere the light of the torch faded completely and she could see nothing. It was like the mouth of the stairs would swallow her whole and never was she to be seen again.

Baskervilles bumped his head on her legs, gently pushing herself towards the descent into darkness. She drew her wool shawl around her shoulder tighter before forcing herself to take the first step. I'm not afraid. Another step. There is nothing to fear about the dark. Two more steps. I'm not afraid. Another two steps down. _I am fine_. Step. _I __**am**__ fine_. Step. **I am **_**not**_** scared**. The light began to fade as she made her way down and soon she was feeling her way along the walls trying not to fall. _**I am not frightened.**_

To Seras, denial was always so much better than cowardice.

0o0o0o0o0o

Alright! So we have the starter chapter and the events finally pickup. I'm going to be switching over to the name Vlad permanently, except for the sequel. (got any idea what I'm going for now? I've got people saying they have no idea what I am doing with the story. *wicked grin*)

**Namae no Nai Shoujo**: I wouldn't necessarily say I'm the best ever. I can think of four or five off the top of my head that are so much better:

Waking the Sleeping Dragon _by_ **shadowanime1**

Son of the Dragon _by_** Anonymous Psychofan**

Seras 2066 _by_** Green Onion**

One foggy night _by_ ( I cant remember the name)

Hound on the Moors _by_** EternalSorrow**

Those are the ones I can think of at the moment but they are excellent. If I were to look in my favorites list I could probably come up with a good fifty that are better, have cooler plots, more descriptive, etc. the rest are all very good but they always have a problem here or there. Like on the great fanfic "Moonlight seductions"? It's a great fic but the formats all weird. Really. It's sad but there are fantastic fanfics but the format is horrible. Im nearsighted so sometimes trying to read them is especially hard. It would be like asking a person with a lisp to say 'lisp'. So please people, I like stories but for the love of god format them properly!

P.s and yes my username does come from doctor who.

**Sepsis**: glad I'm making her believable. I don't want a generic character with stale dialogue running the show. I don't even want that for the side characters or even the characters that only show up once. That would be terrible!

**PurgatoryNymphe**: I AM writing her to have been a woman in that era; just that she doesn't want to put her head down obediently. She's that rare breed of person who does this thing called thinking. Kind of like religion and me. I would love to have the faith to believe that it takes place in seven days… but I have thoughts. And that can really fuck up the faith thing.

What she wants is to be free to enjoy the world around her and to do things at her own pace and seeing as how she is expected to learn to become a lady, she can't do that. She is expected to be proper, get married, support her husband and have kids. After she goes on the run she will know that wearing dresses are impractical and therefore switches to shirts and pants. I know… it makes Seras seem a man-hater but this chapter explains it. I couldn't reveal it earlier. (Spoiler: See what's going on is she's in love with Vlad, just doesn't realize it.)

**Dezifish**: Yay! You understood what I was going for! I always thought the character of Seras liking freedom, even if its just to wear what she wants, and angry with not getting it. The conventions of those days didn't allow for much freedom. You wished for more chapters? Well you got it… I'm starting to think I have a slight mad scientist/writer streak though because it's two in the morning when I woke up and decided "hey! This would be a great time to finish that chapter". No idea why.

-He will knock four times


	15. Chapter 15

Yep. Diffidently a mad scientist character. My cat woke me up at one in the f-ing morning. And while normally I have the undisturbed sleeping abilities of a narcoleptic and could just go back to sleep, I got up and suddenly decided now would be a great time to write. Surprise people! We actually have a plot!

Seras: GASP! A PLOT? IVE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE IN A STORY THAT ACTUALLY HAS A PLOT!

Author: yep. See? Stuff will actually get done and-

Alucard: you do realize in this chapter we just talk right? Nothing actually happens…

Author: yeah but this is the big "resolve things" chapter.

Seras: no it isn't. Stuff isn't going to be resolved that fast.

Author: alright! You know what I mean. You both talk about your issues with each other and THEN it's more feasible when you reconcile.

Seras: HEY! I didn't agree with that. He killed my whole family and then kidna-

Alucard: sounds good to me. When's the lemon get to happen? I'm wanting a little, Heh, 'fun'.

Seras: HEY! IM talking here. Wait- I didn't agree to a lemon!

Author cheerily replies: oh it should be in about four at the minimum, ten at the max. I'm trying to expand chapter length. Not too much though.

Alucard: nice. I get to turn Seras soon and make her my mate.

Seras: HEY! ARE YOU GUYS EVEN LISTENING?

Author: P.s I and my shameless self-advertising would like to put out the word for two stories of mine. They are temporary one-shots until I finish either "submit to me" or Run. The stories are both AxS. Naturally.

Seras: LISTEN WHEN IM TALKING!

XxXxX

Step.

Step.

Step.

Step after step she descended into the blackness. Slowly sliding her hands along the black wall, trying not to fall. The stairs were winding in an ever constant spiral and there were no landings to count. It was so dark and quiet she was starting to loose track of how long she had been traveling the stairs. She was wrong about her prediction. It was oddly warm as she traveled down. As if she was descending to the fiery pits of Lucifer's home himself and she could already imagine the flames heat licking her skin.

footstep.

footstep.

footstep.

She paused, feeling the air change. It was dustier, as if it had settled completely but the slightest disturbance would send it all flying. She put out her foot and lowered it tying to find the next step. Her foot made contact and she sighed. More stairs. How far down was she? How far did she have to go? She turned and stepped out to continue her descent- and stumbled. Her arms waved wildly to catch balance but the stone walls had nothing to grab. A great cloud of dust she couldn't see billowed up around her and she shrieked and coughed thinking she was gong to fall down the stairs. She had thought there was one more step and thusly had fallen onto some aged carpet.

She had reached the bottom.

Her heart thudded madly at the stress. For a moment she had thought she was going to fall down the stairs and die. Oh, why hadn't a torch been given to her? She got up feeling filthy and covered with the dust that must be from years of decay and neglect. And it had been such a nice dress too. Ruined now. Nevertheless she beat at it with her hands trying to dust herself off. She stopped. She could feel it getting worse. She was only smearing the dust and dirt in farther.

A chuckle echoed from the room and she whirled around. Her ears strained for noise and her eyes narrowed uselessly searching the blackness for nothing. A light flared and she threw up her hands in front of her in surprise. She had gotten so used to the dark. After a few moments she lowered her hands and gazed at the light. Flames. A torch. The white sleeved arm holding the torch. The smug face and body attached to that arm. Oh yes. Perfect. So she could see Vlad but not the four hundred or some more stairs she could have fallen down and died on?

He chuckled again, obviously having heard this thought. She huffed. He was laughing at her when this was his fault! "Oh how you amuse me kitten! Do you truly think I would have allowed you to be harmed? My bride shall not even have her finger pricked if I wish it."

She balled her fists. "I am NOT your future bride." This only made him laugh harder as if her rejection of him was a bawdy joke. "Cease laughing! I am serious!"

After a few moments he calmed down some, with only the occasional snorts of mirth. He looked at her hair and dress and frowned. "Come here." He ordered. When she remained she saw his eyes narrow in warning and he growled out "Seras either you come here of you own will or I shall drag you to me and place you on my lap for your meal. I assure you that both options will be enjoyable for me."

Her arms fell to her side in resignation and she looked at him with a glare but it only served to amuse him. She took a step but remained where she was. His smirk widened. "Your going to have to come much closer than that to satisfy me kitten." He put the torch in the sconce behind him and his face relaxed against his fist as he watched her. Watched like she was the most engaging show he had seen in a long time. Seras realized that to him, she probably was.

She walked angrily until she was five feet from him, only now realizing how large the room was and how high the ceiling must be. The room felt so… desolate… even the roaring torchlight did nothing to pierce the blackness above her head or reveal the corners of the rooms. She got the vague sense that with the darkness surrounding them that there was nothing in the world that existed but her, him and the ground beneath her feet. It made her feel eerily isolated and the quarters were rather too… intimate for her likings. There were two chairs and a table she hadn't noticed before. A platter of food was on them and she felt her stomach give a rumble when she saw generous amounts of meat and fruit on them. So hungry…

Her thoughts were pulled away from the rooms décor by a sharp tug on her wrist as Vlad jerked her towards him. She stumbled, off balance and surprised, and he grabbed her shoulder with his other hand. Before she could ask what he was doing blackness engulfed her. Panic struck her and she tried to move, struggle, run. Anything. But the blackness held fast, unwilling to let go of its prey. It was some sort of strange cocoon of shadow that washed over her. But that wasn't what scared her. It felt like hundred hands were slowly running over her skin under her dress, over her dress, through her hair. Strange hands that were alien and yet so familiar. Gently, oh so softly stroking her and her panic subsided at the gentle attentions. It was enjoyable but bizarrely uncomfortable, like a blanket put over her a little too tight for her taste.

The shadows cleared and she blinked. Put off by the sudden change and feeling dazed. There was a striking pain. The hands were gone and had left her. her attention was drawn back to Vlad when she heard an approving noise.

"Much better kitten." She followed his gaze and found her dress had become immaculate. Not a trace of the previous filth or dirt there. She looked at her arms and hands and found them clean as well. she put her hand to her head and found that fee of all rubbish and dust. That was… oddly gentlemanly of Vlad... he laughed. "Do you think me a rude lout that I would leave a beautiful woman in grime?"

He got out of his chair and pulled out the other one looking expectantly at her. Hesitantly she sat down at the table and felt him push in her chair. she felt confused. Besides his mirth at her expense he was being very gentle with her. it didn't tally with his behavior from the last year and a half. It peculiarly had a sense of Déjà vu parallel with the past; like she should make a joke and be pleased with his laughter. Like she should joke that with him around who needed baths? Then he would offer to play a game and like a child with a friend she would, albeit nervously, accept. Or like she would stay up with him to talk and he would watch out of the corner of his eyes waiting for her to, ineffectively, hide a yawn. Or she would sneak out to the garden and wait for him so she could mock her suitors who thought themselves so tough and strong.

Her hand trembled and she bit her lip. Her eyes watered. NO! Why now? Stop it. _Stop it_. I'm stronger than that. She searched for any action to distract herself.

"Why?" she asked quietly.

"Because you are worth it." was his simple reply.

Her head shot up. "I am worth the death- no, **slaughter** of my family? I am worth chasing around trying to kill me for a year for no reason you would tell me?" He regarded her curiously. She looked at him, unable to find anything in his eyes or face that would tell her something.

He spoke, sounding subdued, almost regretful. "Seras… I had planned to handle it better but your family, more specifically your parents went over my head and rushed things. There was many things I had planned and thought that I had more time to put them in action. Much more time. You rejected your suitors and mocked them so regularly that I thought marriage between you and any male was unlikely. my plans were to simply offer you to come with as my fledgling and when the time was right I would take you as my bride and my queen."

She stared. Vlad had always enjoyed secrecy and mystery, when he knew everything you didn't and enjoyed holding it high above your head. She wasn't sure what had made her go mute. The level of forthrightness Vlad was displaying when he was as closed lipped as a secret society Or that he had planned all along to take her as his. Being his… he had planned this… for how long? It wasn't a sense of shock but more a sense of numbness that made her not really there physically but just mentally. Just to listen to him speak and explain his reasoning to her.

A spark of anger was in his eyes and he growled but there was a definite pleased expression on his face. "But your parents went over my head. They arranged your marriage without your consent because they feared you would never choose. I tried to… dissuade… them from going through with it. they didn't listen. I wasn't… persuasive… enough." His lips twitched in a small smirk for a moment.

She was angry now. "So you kill James?"

He snarled and she drew back, alarmed. "Do not say that filths name! He would have sooner betrayed you to die alone to save his own skin then to faithfully have stayed at your side to protect you!" He noticed her cringing and his countenance resumed its earlier calm as if he were trying to sooth her. "I had a choice Seras. I could either allow them to take away forever what is _MINE_, or I could go after the source of the problem. That piece of spineless garbage was a problem who dared to lay a claim on you."

She couldn't believe her ears. He wasn't repentant in the slightest except that his plans hadn't gone on the way he had wanted. The complete and utter flippant dismissal of James's death was callus. She agreed with Vlad that James was a betraying piece of scum and she had no idea why she hadn't seen it sooner underneath the charm but that didn't warrant the complete dismissal of his death- no, murder. Since the age of eight she had know and completely understood what it was that he ate and that he killed living, sentient, human beings to feed himself. And that had never horrified her in the slightest. She had never feared him for it. Not once. And she had always know he was a man that enjoyed battle. That had never bothered her either.

Yet why was the knowledge of James's death and Vlad's uncaring role in it no different. James had been premeditated; and he had been tortured viciously. The memory of that night… she could still see the pains that had been inflicted on him. The blood dripping down from empty holes where his eyes had been… worse was that Vlad had a sense of pleasure in how he had tortured and killed his 'rival'. He had brutally tortured James that night and then coldly killed him and enjoyed it immensely. It didn't horrify her in the slightest. It didn't scare her. It shocked her slightly. But she couldn't seem to view him any different.

What was wrong with her? There had to be something wrong with her. she just knew it. her whole family. Gone. Dead. Her friends. Gone. Dead. Dawson. Gone. Dead. Her fiancé and chance at motherhood. Gone. Dead. Her chance at holding a little human baby girl or boy in her arms. Stolen. To be replaced by a vampire infant. And she didn't hate him in the slightest. She felt angry and sad and confused but no hate. No hate. Was she deranged? Was she unfeeling? No that wasn't it. The insane certainly didn't question if they were insane and she had emotions. Maybe she didn't bare any affection or love for her family?

The idea disturbed her most of all. That couldn't be it could it? She struggled with her thoughts trying to make sense of the chaotic. Trying to make sense of something in the insanity she had been plunged into. The insanity of Vlad's design and desires for her. No. she decided she had some affection for her family but frowned at how she thought so little of their death. She barely felt sad at all.

"You need to eat kitten." Her eyes snapped up to meet his. Her face reddened as she realized that he had been reading her every thought and there was a very pleased look on his face. It was too passive and smug. As if he had already won a game and was simply waiting for her to acknowledge it. She turned her head away to ignore his words but her embarrassment grew as her body gave another hungry gurgle. Her face shone scarlet as he pushed the tray over to her, holding out a fork for her to take. "You are tired and not thinking straight. I want you to resolve your conflicts that you have towards me so you had best eat up. It will make you feel better."

She snatched the fork out of his grasp irritably. Not caring if she was rude she didn't thank him. She was captive here. She ate trying not to enjoy it but couldn't help eating faster. It tasted soo good and she was even hungrier. To her ire it DID make her feel better. He was so annoyingly right all the time! She didn't miss the smirk that showed up on his face as she thought that. She sullenly glared in his direction trying not to admit he was right about the food. Her head felt much clearer. Well she wouldn't indulge him by thinking on the situation further. That would be her revenge.

His eyebrow quirked as a grin came to his face. "You will have to think on it sooner or later my dear as I know it will be in your mind and fester within your thoughts. Like all mortal wounds with humans it must be cleansed or it will become infested, fester and petrify. Your cleansing is clearly to ponder your situation until you understand yourself and the reasons for yourself better."

"And how would you know anything about how I think?" she snapped at him. She regretted her show of temper. He leaned his head back and laughed deeply, clearly amused.

"Oh yes! With ten and a half years access to your mind and companionship with you, how on earth would I ever learn how you think? You have no idea what you do to me Seras! Fight me! Resist me! Show me that fire! It shall make this ever more enjoyable when you agree to the immortal life and all it has to offer."

"I will do no such thing!" he just chuckled.

"You say that now my dear but do you even know the reason you resist?" she opened her mouth but her cut her off. "Or the reason you hold no anger towards me for my actions?" she didn't open her mouth this time.

She had no answer to that.

"It doesn't matter. You don't need me." She declared. She felt annoyed at his denseness when he looked surprised.

"Oh? And why not?"

"You're other brides. If you want amusement then go to them."

To her surprise he laughed as if what she had said was the most ludicrous thing she had ever heard. "I wouldn't not even if I had 'other brides'. When I change you and create you to be mine, you shall be the only one and you will stand at my side as my queen, superior to all females and my equal when the time comes. What use would I have for other women when I could have one of great beauty and spirit that pales all others in comparison?" despite herself her face turned red and there was an irritating sense of relief that she was the only one. Why did she feel that way?

Her confusion and lack of answers made her irritable. "You speak as if I will agree."

"Eventually you will."

"And how would you know that? I am not so weak that threats will work. Neither will I let you force me."

"I will not force you to anything Seras nor will I threaten you. If you were swayed by threats or petty lies I would have no interest in you." A sort of glint came to his eyes that Seras didn't like one bit. "As for how I know, there are quite a few things about yourself that you remain ignorant about. They call it 'denial' as I am sure you know what the words mean. It would make things much easier if you were to think upon yourself and come to an epiphany."

"I will do no such thing!" she repeated to him. " I would not give you the pleasure." He looked pleased by her refusal.

"Ahhh. Well. in the meantime I will find this a more comfortable arrangement." He got up and she squirmed away into the far side of her chair as he walked around. He pulled her chair out and before she could get up and run for it, he had picked her up and carried her back to her chair. He sat down and placed her in his lap looking very pleased with himself. She squirmed, trying to get off, but his arms trapped her own to her sides and effortlessly she was kept on his lap. He looked down at her, his voice husky. "By all means continue to writhe on my lap Seras. It's very… enticing."

She stiffened and all struggles stopped. He laughed and she glared at him balefully, too embarrassed by what he had been implying to reply.. She felt it then and out of habit tried to resist. Her chin quivered and he noticed. He grinned waiting for the inevitable to happen. Her chest hitched and before she could stop herself she gave a great yawn.

"Time for sleep" he said silkily. She glared and far too late realized her mistake. His scarlet eyes met her blues and her thoughts clouded over. Her resistance was feeble even by her standards. His strong mind invaded her head, molding her thoughts like clay… _That is right…Be a good girl for me… _So sleepy… She was so tired…_ sleep for me Seras…do as I say… your such a good girl my bride…_

A wave of slumber came over her and she couldn't stop herself from snuggling closer to him. He was so warm…couldn't hurt to get some sleep…. She relaxed and felt her eyelids grow heavy, slipping down. His last words to her brought such comfort she couldn't stop herself from surrendering completely to his hold.

_I will be here when you wake love…_

0o0o0o0o0

So what ya all think? Hopefully I did well… Mostly what I'm trying to do is get their issues resolved at the moment. I don't think its likely she just going to give in and all with so many problems. I mean, if that sort of thing would hppen in real life, 'romantic' would equal everyone killing their intendeds family and kidnapping their intended. Hmmm… that's not a bad idea… Tyler here I come _pwheet wooo_. *snort* lolz.

**dezifish**: I don't blame you. I was being rather subtle with the months. I also liked putting those flashbacks because it kind of was pleasing to make it seem like time was slowly passing by. Nice to see what you caught with the whole riddle thing. I wanted something from chapter thirteen to match up with chapter fourteen. A theme of some sort to follow her through her life. I had daytime memories where Seras is miserable because of isolation and then the nighttime ones where she is happy because she has a companion in Vlad.

**PurgatoryNymphe**: *evil smirk* what wedding? I don't remember any wedding… Im glad you enjoy my work. Im also really happy you review so often. What makes me happiest is that your reviews contain more intelligent thought than "please review soon". While im happy to get them at all I just wish I would get more feedback than that. How am I supposed to improve the story if no one tells me anything? So right here I am thanking you. You review often with feedback and stuff to say.

I'm not going to think that all priests are guiltily for a pedo crime. I'm just going to say this, for the ones that ARE, for the ones that have done that to a little child: I may no longer believe in God but in the bible Jesus said some things concerning children and just let me tell you this; When Jesus said "_Suffer the little children to come unto me_" that was **NOT** what he was talking about you little child rapists bastards. One day I will find you, I will _hurt_ you.

-He will knock four times

(evil glare. Ill knock you with a aluminum bat a thousand times right to the privates)


	16. Chapter 16 oops! my mistake!

"Isn't it beautiful?"

She looked down at the folds of her skirt pointedly. She wasn't going to look. Even though she had that nagging urge in her. _Come on! Come on! Look! You know you want to!_ But she wasn't going to look! She hadn't looked since he had brought her out and she was going to keep it that way. He was trying to romance her and she wasn't going to make it easy. Even if she wanted to. She glared at the smooth silk of her dress. Then she decided the dress didn't deserve her ire, even if it was a gift from him, so she settled for giving her angry stare at the arms wrapped around her.

She had already tried squirming away already and he just held her tighter and nipped at her ear causing her to gasp. He laughed when she squeaked in embarrassment. Nice warm, pleasant arms that she was still trying to convince herself that she did not enjoy having around her. No. No. She did NOT enjoy being help in his arms feeling so protected and special. She wasn't going to look at the supposed fantastic garden he had brought her outside to. It was dark with moonlight out and she could smell the fragrance of flowers that hung heavy in the air. A sickly sweet smell that was heady with jasper flowers and wet juniper trees. It was driving her insane. She could feel that urge to look at the beautiful garden. A twitching itch that made her head turn a little before she jerked it to look back down.

It didn't help things when he would purposely point out her favorite flowers and colors. She felt furious. The bastard. He wasn't playing fair. He knew the game she was playing by not looking. He was smirking against her neck and his offhand remarks about the lilacs and jasmine vines all over were driving her insane because she wanted to look. And he knew it. Pointing out wide willow weeping trees that hung down in graceful curtains, how the moon was a beautiful crescent and the stars were out in full glow, or how the battlements of castle Bran gleamed white in the moonlight. Nor did it help feeling the breezes make the trees sway and hearing nature's music accompanied by crickets. She tried not to pout. He wasn't playing fair at all. She really wanted to look.

But she really wasn't going to. She had the vague sense he was trying to romance her and she refused to be swayed by something like that. Love with Vlad? She didn't know what to think. In fact the more she thought about it, the less she knew how she felt about him. She thought she had been certain that she viewed him as a childhood friend. But now? She didn't know. She felt anxious and her heart raced. It wasn't fear but there was a definite thrill to being with him. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she had never really stopped to _consider_ her feelings for him. She shook her head. No, no, no. there was no need. She was leaving as soon as she could break free.

She felt him lean in over her shoulder as he spoke. "Stubborn aren't we? I am not going to let you go."

"But why? I have asked before and you have answered… But really… Why? What motivation do you have?"

He was silent for a moment and she waited for him to answer or to deflect it with a half-truth. "Because you are mine."

She wilted unhappily. He would never tell her the reason would he? _Mine_. He always said that as if it was the obvious truth she should have known all along. He was so possessive and over-protective of her, of things he considered his. She knew that well. _Mine_. He had always said that but before James she had never really paid attention to it. She just thought he had meant his little girl to protect and take care of. Or maybe it was that he wanted her for entertainment. He had said it often enough that she didn't dwell on it. _Mine_. But now 'mine' had taken a new meaning and she shivered from it.

A new thought occurred to her and it made tears well.

Mine. That was the way children expressed the way they favored toys. She remembered what she was like as a child. She would get a doll and would love it unconditionally… but then father would bring home a new doll for her, soon enough, and suddenly the old one was irrelevant. It would lay forgotten in the toy chest with all the other old and forgotten things. Mine. He said 'mine' the way she had claimed her dolls as a child. Mine. Suddenly she had found a reason to not be with him and to continue to resist.

… She was Vlad's new doll and he would possess her…

Until he saw a prettier one…

Until he saw one with a more lovely face or more exotic eyes. Or maybe redder lips. Or maybe one that liked to be more womanly and liked dressing up. Or maybe one that didn't talk back so much. Or maybe one that was smarter and cleverer. Or maybe it was one that didn't cry so much and wasn't so weak. Or maybe it was one that enjoyed hurting others; one that would be a proper vampire. He would find a better, prettier doll and she, Seras, would be forgotten and left behind. She would have served her purpose and was no longer necessary.

Seras found herself crying silently with great hot tears rolling down her face. Why was she crying? This was ridiculous! She didn't view him that way so why did the idea of him not wanting her anymore hurt? She didn't view him that way… right? She felt so confused! She didn't know anymore? How was she to be sure? She bit her lip and tried to force herself not to shake. She kept her face forward hoping he wouldn't notice. It was in vain. She felt him lean forward and turned her head to him.

She averted her eyes but he kept her face cradled with one hand so she could move her face. He brought his hand up and gently wiped the tears away. She trembled at how gentle he was being.

"Why are you crying little one?" he asked softly. Gently. Softly. Sweetly. Calmly. No anger. No derision. No irritation. He asked like she was the most important thing to him; like he didn't want her sad. She felt like crying harder.

She looked down ashamed and bit her lip. She couldn't tell him. How could she? She felt that familiar tendril of thought that meant he was searching her head on purpose and tried to close down her mind like she had been taught. The tendril brushed it off like it was nothing and searched for a moment longer before withdrawing. She flicked her eyes up to see a frustrated frown and then looked back down, suddenly finding the velvet patter of her dress very fascinating. All the training to protect her mind was worthless and he knew she was beginning to consider examining her emotions towards him.

She tried to avoid looking at him but he just kept her head trapped and seemed to be waiting until she looked at him. She squirmed uncomfortable with the intensity of it all until she couldn't stand the tension anymore. She looked at his cheeks and he tipped her head up so she was looking at his eyes and she felt captivated by the smoldering scarlet gaze. His voice was deep and low and she listed to every syllable.

"You think I would grow tired of you or that I would replace you?" she kept her eyes down but nodded. "Foolish and naïve." He said that as if it was endearing qualities to him and smiled as if he had seen something precious t o him.

Relief flooded her. he wouldn't replace her, if he saw someone better? No she was more confused. Why was she relieved? Oh bother! Nothing felt like it made sense anymore. The world had gone stark raving mad! The world as she knew it was as mad as a insane asylum under a blue moon. In fact she felt like it had been that way for so long she had just been too focused on running to really notice it. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be with him? NO! He had killed her family and she didn't feel that way… didn't she?

Now she was really frustrated and confused. It was like being torn in half and arguing with herself. She needed to think. She wasn't going to get any along time with him around. He certainly seemed to treat her like a doll. He held her tightly in his arms and had her in his lap constantly. Constantly running his fingers through her hair and putting small kisses on her neck that made her red in the face. It was distracting. She couldn't think coherently when he did those things that he did. And the games like he was playing now where he tried to show her gardens. Oh blast! She had just managed to forget the garden and now she wanted to look again!

She wiped her face with the back of her hand, she needed to stay strong. He distracted her again.

"So? Are you going to think about it?" she blinked. Think about what? "How you feel for me?"

She bit her lip. He knew she wasn't as sure as she was before. She struggled with it. If she felt nothing for him why was she so unwilling to think of it? She wanted nothing more than to curl up. It was a sick feeling that took root below her heart. Not painful or bad. It was just like a weight settled there and no matter what she tried it seemed to take root. Everything around her felt like oceans of confusion and rivers or sadness and anger. And it rained her feelings or frustrating helplessness. Nothing was fair. Strength speed, abilities, and knowledge of her. All of it made escape impossible. He would always know what she was thinking and she would always be left to stare at his face and wonder.

"Because the idea scares you. The possibility that the person who had killed your parents is also the person you love, scares you."

Her eyes widened and she felt shaken to her very core. Scared? … Yes… scared… the truth was terrifying and he was right… the idea of thinking about it scared her.

"I ask again. Will you think about it?"

"Yes." she whispered.

She looked up and his grin grew wide showing off pointy teeth. He was smirking as if he had won something. She felt a little infuriated because she was quite certain he felt as though he had won her. She heard a growl and stiffened. She looked up warily and saw him growling angrily. She really felt confused. What had she done? He grabbed her, turned her to him and pulled her close so that her face was hidden in his chest. She felt his arms wrap around her protectively. Seras felt a shiver of fear. What was there? What was making him react this way?

"Come out before I give the plant life a new color besides green and blue."

There was a rustles and she heard a twig crack underfoot of someone. But her head was still buried in her chest. She wanted to scream in frustration. She couldn't be left ignorant forever! She tried to turn her head and a small warning growl as well has his tightened grip on her made her give up. She couldn't look. She could only listen. It was a woman's voice who answered.

"Forgive me sire but rumors travel fast. Some say they have noticed a human in your presence that you seem to have not eaten yet. So I came to see for myself." she wanted to shiver at the sound of the soft voice. She didn't like the owner of the voice straight from the beginning. There was too much cunning… too much ambition… as if every thought and word was slowly considered before being used for the purpose of something only the woman knew. Seras got the impression of a slithering snake sliding past a den of dormice, calculating its next move. It was malicious and she didn't like the feeling of being stared at while in Vlad's arms.

"I am not interested in your games Avreda. I do not share and she is off-limits." He growled and Seras felt herself be pulled a little tighter into the crushing embrace. Anymore and she wouldn't be able to breathe. She could smell Vlad's scent. It calmed her slightly. It was oddly pleasant. Crushed pine trees and the smell of bitter iron. Bitter iron… the smell of dried blood…

"Interesting. I was not aware you were so fascinated by a mere mortal girl. The women of the castle will be interested to know you no longer favor a real woman." Seras bit her lip. The way the woman said it made her feel like nothing.

"ENOUGH! If you have something to say to me then say it you fork tongued wench! I have no taste for you or your games and made this clear many years ago! Stand your ground or be gone!"

There was a small rustle of clothing which a trained ear like Seras's could take to be a curtsy and then silence. She shifted nervously and he growled angrily. She held still as his arms held her tightly, too tight. Slowly she felt his arms relax and she could move. He seemed… agitated. She didn't think it was a good time to speak. Seras bit her lip because the desire to question was eating at her tongue. Who was that and why did Vlad seem to hate her so much? She had to force herself not to squirm. Etiquette training was perfect for this. She straightened her posture and stood still. She raised her eyes to his and there was a note of unease she wasn't used to seeing from him.

There was the tingling sensation of falling and she shrieked, gripping at his coat tightly. Inky black threads draped over her eyes of the inky black birds she knew weren't really birds. The world shifted and spun of shadows and covered her like a terrifying blanket she was blind in. Blackness around her made it impossible to see. The world spun into view of dazzling colors and lights that seemed like the sun itself in comparison to the darkness from before. And she realized that they were back in his room. She whipped her head back when he began prying her fingers from his coat and she quickly let go, blushing. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips, which he got away with because she wasn't expecting it. And then he was… gone?

She blinked dazedly. He was just gone. Left for some reason and she realized he must still be upset from the unwelcome company. Some part of her was disappointed. She missed his presence and the comfort he brought. The part that made her squirm was because she had feeling it was deeper than that. She wanted to ignore it but she had promised herself she would think on it. Yet she felt so tired. Everything had been disoriented for her lately. The sensation of being still for long periods of time finally sinking in. She had been on the move so often that even after her capture some part of her was still out in the forests fleeing the devil. Some part of her still flocked to the cheapest pubs and bars for food and chooses a chair in the middle of the wall, facing the door. Some part of her still stealing small blankets from wealthy merchants and running from the garrison. Some part of her felt horrendously naked without her daggers. The novelty of just holding still was settling in around her and surprisingly enough there was an overwhelming sense of…

Relief?

She settled herself to sit on the floor. Relieved… she was relieved to be caught? No… it was more like she had been expecting to be caught for so long now and yet had live in terror of it anyways, that being caught left her strangely with nothing to fear. Even the thrill of dread that ran up her spine at his plans for her couldn't affect her at this moment. She was relieved to have nothing to fear. Yet it was the silliest notion to her mind because there were so many things to fear. She knew she should feel afraid but she couldn't bring herself to care. For a while it would be nice to be foolish and carefree….

His 'game' had been of cat and mouse but what upset her was the realization that it had never been a game at all between two opponents. Vlad had from the beginning been able to catch her instantly. Except for a rare moment when she got the upper hand, she had never truly been able to escape. The more she thought about it the less content she became with her efforts the last year and eleven months. She was nineteen. So much time and her life invested in running and none of it was actually real. It was a mockery of reality. From Cheddar to Warwick to Banbury to Luton to Barnet to London to the port city of Folkestone which would take her to France and so on and so forth from there. Her journey had taken her thousands of miles and she bitterly realized it had been all a farce. A mockery of her efforts and shallow triumphs.

He had been victorious from the moment she had fled in fear that night because it was so simple and easy to catch her. All he had ever needed to do was to run a little faster, which he could do effortlessly. All he had needed to do as to use his powers as a vampire with was so simple and easy. He hadn't and left her with the illusion that she could flee and win. What was it for? Was it for what he had said? Independence? She didn't understand. She was so tired of being confused.

She curled her legs up to her chest and hugged herself. She did feel a small dread of fear and it was different. The truth terrified all and nothing could destroy it. It had a way of coming out. Truth. Inescapable and only a concept. Like love it could not be touched, broken or changed. Love was pure and unconditional as truth was. It was also as terrible and heart wrenching as the truth could be. The truth had the power to break hearts or save lives. Seras wasn't certain if she really wanted to know her own heart because what really sacred her more than not knowing her own feelings, was not knowing which she would be. Break or make?

But she had resigned herself to this. This was what he wanted and he always got his way sooner or later.

_How do I feel about him?_

She felt ridiculous. Didn't she know herself? Yet she didn't seem to be able to make up her mind or control those urges to be close to him.

_How do I feel about him?_

He protected her and she felt relieved by that. Special even. Maybe she enjoyed being wanted? Everyone enjoyed being wanted after all. Everyone enjoyed feeling special and important. Was that what it was like? She chewed on her lip thoughtfully, struggling for a moment. No. it wasn't exactly that. It was true being protected and treated so important by him pleased her but that wasn't exactly what she felt was the answer.

_How do I feel about him?_

She was childhood friends with him. He had practically raised her along with her parents though they had never met him until she was seventeen. She grappled with her thoughts feeling frustrated. NO! that wasn't right either. It didn't feel like friendship or the caring one would feel to a parent.

_How do I feel about him?_

_How do I feel about him?_

_How do I feel about him?_

_How do I feel about him?_

_How do I feel about him?_

_How do I feel about him?_

Her eyes widened as an idea came to her. Maybe… she had a idea that had never occurred to her before. It was such a silly idea… but it was there now and the ore she thought about it the more she felt like it was the truth. She felt like she had been slapped. It wasn't pain but simply the shock of it.

"Oh." Her hand came up to cup her cheek like she had been slapped. She felt dazed. "Oh! Oh! OH!"

The world must have fallen through the sky for her not to have seen this. THIS was what she hadn't realized about herself? Why had she not seen it sooner? How could she not know herself? He had told her to think on it… He KNEW? He had know all along? Was that the reason for his surety he would succeed? She had been so annoyed how he would say 'I will make you mine'. That condescending tone he had always used while talking about _when_ he succeeds and not _if_. He had talked of his success like a philosopher would talk about the surety that the sun would raise or the moon would wax and wane

She had been annoyed that he was so certain, so sure but with her new found realization she had to agree that it was very advantageous for him if the object of his pursuit was in love with him. How had she not noticed? Could the sun see its own brilliance or the moon se in the blackness? Perhaps that was her deficiency. Perceptive of others but slow to realize herself. She loved vlad and had never even realized. Nearly two decades spent in the company of the same man her whole life and learning from and about him… how had she not seen this coming?

"Oh… Yes…. I… See…"

She jumped when she realized that he was back and he looked pleased. Her stomach seemed to do nervous backflips and flutters. Her cheeks felt unbearably hot like glowing colas and she was certain she was blushing just as bright. Mostly her heart hammered fast and she felt so shy in front of him. He chuckled and leaned in as if to kiss her. She swore her breathing stopped when he pulled her to stand. He leaned his face into kiss her. Zings of delight and contentment ran through her and this couldn't have felt more right the world had not turned upside down. The world had been perfect from the beginning. She kissed back eagerly and clumsily tried to copy the way his lips moved against hers.

Her heart trilled fast and her head as empty as a flower pot. Yet she was light as air. She loved this man and could only see him.

X0x0x0x0x0x0

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy! Love is so beautiful! We finally get seras to realize her love, I update and avoid a angry mob, then I also wake up tomorrow feeling like crap so I can drag myself to school…. Need sleep and… Oh shit I still have to do the response! Next chapter we get seras talking about unresolved issues, we find out more of Vlads motives and a certain someone agrees to go all dead and stuff.

And stuff?

OOOOooohh crap! Im so exhausted I cant formulate a simgle eloquent sentence! Luckily all the eloquence went to the chpter. I feel pretty satisfied with it though. Though for some reason this story isn't done yet the idea of the sequel I had going it burning me. Ahhhgh!

Response time:

**Tigress Berry**: (messin with tigress) how about she has her ephinany twenty chapters from now? That sounds fun to me! Don't know how I could stretch the story out so far seing as how my storyline has a specific plot in mind but im certain I could move this to ludicrous lengths… hope you like blue aliens. *coughavatarcough* lol

**Ludifer**: Nice to have you back and thank you for reading! I do also like that Seras lasted so long. I mean how weak would it be for her to suddenly change her tune. I was trying to be gradual about this. She had been on the run for a year and a half. Her 'suddenly' not resisting anymore would feel not just strange and awkward but just downright occ for the persona I had envisioned I know you find the whole smart six year old a hard pill to swallow but I have a truth to tell you:

I'm in child development here in crescent valley high school. Our high school runs a small preschool where the highschoolers help run the daycare as part of child development the class. Milo, BB, Bay and a few other kids I swear to you are complete child geniuses.

One day for large muscle we were having the kids ride their tricycles and Milo, age four, couldn't get his to move.

So we asked him "what do you think is wrong with your bike buddy?"

And he said

"I can't get my bike to start because I don't have enough _traction_!"

All we could think in our heads was "_**WTF?**__ HOW do you even KNOW that?"_

I wear glasses and I was wearing a bunny hat for Easter last week. I asked little Taylor, age four, if I looked like the Easter bunny.

She immediately said 'no'. She seemed angry, offended even that I would suggest a thing, me looking like the Easter bunny. When I asked her why she didn't think I looked like the Easter bunny she said:

"The Easter bunny does NOT wear GLASSES!"

Little Bay, age three, was asked about the moon. The theme was planets and I asked him what he thought the moon was made out of. I teased him saying it was made out of cheese (having grown up on Wallace and gromit). (I'm not f-ing kidding) Very seriously he said: "No. It's made up of dust per-ta-tickles and certain sal-i-kates." (I think he was actually trying to pronounce 'part-a-cals' and 'sil-a-kits'. Holy hell I was looking at the future boy genius. Yet he still sticks his fist in his mouth and sucks on it.

I know it seems bizarre to have such a smart little kids but compared to your average three year old Seras is pretty average herself at age six. Kids are smarter than we ever give them credit for.

I have never actually thought of the style that way but when you put it like that I can see your point. I do try to write the flashbacks as a form of giving perspective.

**MadaraFanGirl**: WOW. Your reaaaallly serious about that. Lolz! Good to see enthusiasm about the story.

-He will knock fo… zzzzzzzzz ZZZZZzzzzzzzz

Seras; … sigh… the author is completely wasted with the need to sleep.


	17. Chapter 17

Burning. Sweet hot burning fire pressing at her lips. It was wanton. The feel of his lips on hers... Their hands tangling in each others hair trying to pull themselves even closer. It was hunger and _need_. Her heart pounded in dizzying drum circles and she gasped when his tongue entered her mouth stroking her own with his. It made her hands tremble. The passion between them grew hotter still and her heart sped recklessly fast. It made her heart pound. It was passion and desire. the feel of his hands on her body – one tangled in her hair and the other at the small of her back pressing her close to him... the way that he kissed her, as if he needed her more than air... It made her head spin. It made her _burn_. She was starting to loose air and it made her swoon at the passion. He broke the kiss and his eyes shone with a victorious light as she regained her breath and her heart calmed. He smirked at her flushed face and puffy lips.

She fell back swooning and his arms caught her possessively. He cupped her cheek gently and she leaned into it marveling at how sweet he was being. How someone so capable of violence could be so capable of being gentle and kind? Her heart knew such peace and ease now that she hadn't felt in a long, long time. She felt a weight gone from her and endlessly weightless, yet it was like something had slid into place. The insanity and confusion of the world had gone from her and it felt like everything had fit into place like it should have been. For so long she had felt tired and confused but now she knew things would be better. She felt so… content. She didn't feel ashamed or like a slattern. This was how things were meant to be.

She closed her eyes and brought her own hand to hold his against her face. She found she loved the feel of his hand. They were long and slender, almost spindly in description. But they were large gentle and soft hands and they touched her so sweetly like a lover's caress. Gentle and passionately his thumb felt her face as if trying to memorize the exact curve of her lips and cheek. But his hands were cold as a constant reminder of what he was. If she knew anything about where this was headed then she knew that soon she would become as chilled as he was.

There was no doubt in her mind that she would have to make the change. Their love would not work any other way. It would only end in misery for the both of them if things stayed the way they were now. If she truly wished to be with him then she couldn't stay the way she was. In short, she was dying. A woman marked for death with a black spot upon her palm. She felt a thrill of trepidation and anxiety. Could she really do it? Could she really survive that way and live with herself? Kill others to keep herself alive? She had no idea of what to anticipate. She knew the strengths, the abilities, the weaknesses but not the mentality. She had learned all about vampires straight from the source but she didn't feel she really knew much. She didn't know the mentality of vampires. She had seen the way Vlad got when he was excited about blood and battle. Was Vlad just blood thirsty or was that all of them? Did Vlad desire blood in such degrees or was it every vampire? She opened her eyes and looked at him pleadingly. He understood.

"There is no other way. You need to choose between me and your _human_ morality." He put emphasis on every syllable and she understood perfectly what he meant when he enunciated the word 'human' especially.

She felt like a petulant child. Choose. Choose. Choose. Choose. She didn't want to choose. But she _had_ to. Always choosing herself and for a moment she yearned for the days of childhood adolescence where all of life's hard decisions were made for her. She rejected the desire immediately. Vampires, Vlad had taught her, looked only forward. They pushed through all obstacles and looked only for the future of power and control because they had no desire for the past but only to improve and continue on. She remembered the emphasis he had given on human morals and she opened her mouth to ask.

"I know it's ridiculous to ask but… is it different for vampires? Morals?" he threw his head back and laughs and she jumped at the sudden sound. He seemed so amused by her question. Eventually the laughter died down and he looked at her.

"It is very different. The guilt will fade Seras. You will not have to suffer the pain of taking a life for long. It will not hurt you." She hesitated unsure of herself. He stroked her lips with his thumb, caressing her cheek softly. "Seras, be not afraid for you will not be doing this alone. I will be here. This is not something you will endure on your own."

Relief bubbled through her and all anxiety was gone. She wrapped her arms around his waist tightly, feeling the need for comfort. That was what she had needed to hear most. She was afraid but as always if she had him she could be strong. She was scared because she didn't know what to expect. Terror of the unknown, Vlad had always said, was a common human trait and that fledglings eventually lost this. But she didn't know what to expect. She felt that for all the things she had been taught about vampires, she still knew so little of them. She grasped at the reassurance that she wouldn't feel guilt like a man who greedily horded treasure. She opened her mouth to ask how fast the guilt would fade but what came out was…

"Does it hurt?" The childish question had fallen from Seras's lips before she could stop it. She buried her face into the folds of his lapels feeling scared and childish. She had never heard the change described. All she knew was what vampire society was like and the aspects of being one. Never had she known what the actual change process was like. It scared her slightly. Here was another unknown abyss she would be willingly plunging herself into. And this time Vlad could not push her for her. She would have to do it herself. He would not do it without her consent. She felt his hand stroke her hair.

"No more than being bitten does." She stiffened, feeling amazed. Being bitten didn't hurt at all. It was the opposite. It felt wonderful. She should know. Except for that first bit of pain when the fangs sink into the neck, there was nothing but pure ecstasy. That too eased her mind and she buried her face harder into his chest, fisting his jacket and breathing in deeply his smell. It had always had a calming smell. A crushed pine needles and bitter iron that left a strange acid tang on her tongue when she breathed in.

He returned her embrace to let her think. Something about the situation started to feel off. Something made her feel depressed again. She struggled to remember and her heart started sinking. She felt so confused once more that she wanted to cry. She had just gotten her peace of mind that it was devastating in her mind to suddenly loose it. She wanted to cling to his jacket and cry but her grip slackened and slid down to her sides before she stepped back. He knew and let go, allowing her to step away while to wept in her confusion, anger, sorrow and the feeling of naked betrayal.

Mother lying broken at the bottom of the stairs with her head broken and blood pooling around her face, soaking into her white dress. Father fallen and savaged at the bottom. Cookie who was like a second mother stabbed with her own kitchen knife and her throat torn. Witty Jack who always had an apple for her and an extra for the horse when she went out for her rides. Pretty and shy Bella, who comforted her in her depression over James, covered in bite marks. Sour Ophelia who Seras hated but not enough to kill. Jasper and Anna engaged to wed. Tiny Ben covered in blood, laying heavily like a lifeless heap with a hole in his gut. Sweet, gossipy Elizabeth who was her friend.

She bitterly wept for all of them on the ground, feeling her heart ache. She sensed him over her trying to sooth her by running his hands over her hair. She wasn't certain whether to pull away or not so she settled for covering her face with her hands as she continued to weep. She felt sad and hurt by her loss and the betrayal but most of all she was angry and confused. She couldn't help but hear him as he spoke again sounding so serious.

"I knew you would have this problem Seras. There is too much bad blood between us. Dying is easy. There is another choice you must make. One that is much, much more difficult." He paused for a moment while she sniffled and listened closely. "You must choose between your anger for me and your affection. Does your resentment for what I did to you eclipse your love and affection for me? Think carefully and decide. The change is permanent and once you are changed you will be mine in mind, body and soul. From then on I will let no one else have you nor will I ever let you go. "

She laid there trying to choose but all the effort made her want to loose control and cry again. Her parents or Vlad. Yet somehow her family being dead did not make the choice any easier. Choosing between the two felt impossible. She felt him lay on the floor next to her and she felt grateful that he wasn't trying to force anything on her by trying to persuade her. He was quiet so she could think for herself. She stared at the grains and tiny notches in the stonework underneath, trying to think.

What did she _really_ want? She immediately thought of Vlad. Naturally she wanted him. She was in love with him. But what of her parents? Was she insulting her parents this way and that's what upset her? No. she rejected the idea. That didn't feel like the right idea. Maybe what scared her was that the man she loved so deeply had betrayed her and killed many people just to possess her. She blinked. That felt like the truth. So it was fear of how far he was willing to go to keep her his alone? She didn't want to loose anyone else she was emotionally close to because of Vlad. Yet she didn't want to have to close herself off from everyone to avoid the pain and the very real possibility that he wanted to keep her all to himself. She bit her lip still feeling like she was battling herself.

Was she more scared of losing people than she was of never having them?

She wasn't certain how long she lay on the floor trying to understand her own feelings. It took a few seconds more but she had found her answer. She knew what she wanted. She had to let go of her parents. She knew in her heart that the only thing that she really wanted was him. She turned around to face him and hesitated. It felt like she was at a cliff side about to plunge. She bit her lip and went for it. She gave him a shy kiss on the lips for her answer and fisted her skirt nervously, watching his face. He smiled clearly pleased.

"Well done. You let go of your ideal human life and your qualms for me in exchange of your vampire future and your love for me. I do not take for granted how hard that could have been for you. The night is far gone however and we must hurry." His eyes looked like they were smoldering and there was a gleam of anticipation that put her on edge. She felt her heart sped and her breath quicken as if she was attempting to get every last breath. Like her body knew it was dying before its time and wanted every single breath and beat it could in protest.

Seras had chosen and was about to die.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Yay! We finally did it folks! We finally got to Seras being turned to a vampire and joining together with Vlad! It's only been ten… cajillion years! I'm finally graduated! and you know what? This chapter IS better than the one I had originally written. I didn't start over… (Well I did but not by choice. Damn school servers. XD never have to deal with them again!)

Response time:

**Purgatory Nymphe**: *reads review and squeals, jumping on nymphe for a hug* awesome! you get what I was trying to go for! It wasn't that Seras hadn't just given up the fight, its more that her emotions and the sense of comfort he brought made her desire to resist non-existent. As for the court….

Vlad's been doing his best to keep Seras hidden from them. While she is human she is pretty much fair game at the dinner table (if you know what I mean. And no! I don't mean it _that_ way perverts!). Also he knows that the rest of the court might have an idea that he plans to make Seras his queen. Political assassinations during that era were the norm and were to be expected. Often political assassinations were aimed at rulers-to-be such as princes or advisers who were to be crowned king in the event of the king's death. Queen Victoria the III, who was from Scotland, was nearly assassinated no less than 63 times in her ten year rule. That's about seven assassination attempts a year! And those are just the nearly successful attempts.

Basically he was trying to keep her hidden until he had turned her. He's keeping her hidden but sensing auras is an ability I plan for vampires to have. But after a while they are going to notice that he is absent much of the time and in the presence of the same female human over and over again. When a queen is put upon the thrown, political power shifts happen. The kings adviser which had been his right hand and so important before, moves the his left hand and is like the third in command (which may not seem like much of a demotion but in the royal ranks it was like going from Jesus level of important to just an apostle.) this shift would then make everyone else's roles much less important. In court life at that time, whoever had the most power and essential role was the most influential and could do what they wanted. Which Vlad knows would make her a prime target to be killed before she is turned into a vampire to avoid her becoming queen.

So when Seras is turned and is protected as his fledgling _**then **_he can introduce her to the court.

**PenceyPrep1951**: XD Fine with me! Im just happy reading the reviews you guy send! Im glad to see you jazzed up! \

**Graceful-Kuja**: o_0 *reaches out and turns on the "Twilight zone" theme song., all the while never looking away from the review.* O_O OH. MY. GOD. I was listening to that song while writing the chapter. I have it on my ipod. Am I channeling readers or ghosts?

**darkryubaby**: sigh* while that is very tempting, it isn't time period correct and it doesn't exactly sound very in character for Vlad (except for that last one.) however, I haven't told you guys everything because I never just release everything from the beginning. Throughout the story, Seras's desire for children will be a subplot. You might not know why not but soon you will understand. *rubs hands together evily.* hehe… yessssss….. sooooonnn. Youll ALL understand. Haha. HAHAHA. Mwuahahahaha!

**shadowreploid**: *glows with pride* thank you for saying so. I work really hard to get it right. Lots of false starts though. I have to constantly consider whether "is this in character?" "does this seem reasonable" "Would anyone behave this way or feel this way". Those sorts of questions.

**naruXhina4ever45**: What are you talking about/ I kan spel just fine!

Again I probably have the usual grammar mistakes, misspelling, or an accidental switch of point of views. **All I can really say is**:

"i'm sory four al thee mistaks tat ive maid."

-He will knock four times


	18. I can feel the carple tunnel already

Xxxxxxx  
Madness. All of it was madness.  
Her lungs ached and she couldn't breath yet she was somehow still alive. She made an effort to breath in but her lungs wouldn't move and she received no air for her efforts. Her body was so silent, she had no heartbeat, no breathing, no noise that came from her body. She couldn't help but be scared and disturbed. She tossed and turned fitfully, the strangeness and ability to survive without air disturbing her, she couldn't seem to settle down. Even the cool, soft and sleet surface she was on didn't help her. She was certain that she went mad for a while.

Creeping. Her body felt like something was creeping.  
A slow creeping sensation that started somewhere from where her neck and slowly inched through her veins. She wasn't certain but she cried out in fear at the strange thing of it. Several times. It felt like it was gripping her insides and her legs had an odd rippling and twitching sensation. Her head felt like it was clenching and relaxing, and she nearly screamed in terror at the realization that something inside her was being taken over and being changed by this creeping thing. It felt like the creeping thing was curling through her head.

Shooting. Something was quickly shooting.  
Jolts and shots through her body that made her feel strange. Her fingers had the oddest feel, like they were shooting out and were longer but not. Her teeth had this strange feel as well; like they were numb but tingling and shooting out. Even more bizarre was the sensation of her tongue. It was Also shooting itself forward and backwards. It would jerk forwards a little and then back. Her calf's twitched and jerked with little shots of something that wasn't pain but wasn't comfortable either.

Hands. Rough but soft hands that she knew so well.  
Hands she knew but could not remember who but they comforted her fears nonetheless. When the strange shooting and rippling sensations scared her, the hands would stroke her hair in comfort or caress her face. When the terrifying realization came upon her that something was creeping and changing... Hands that felt so warm and large. Simple little touches that made all the bad things go away and the sense of comfort of safety come into her.

Dark. Everything dark.  
Her eyes wouldn't open. She was certain she wasn't awake. But neither was she in sleep. She couldn't open her eyes and awaken but neither could she relax and slip into sleep. She laid helpless in her terrifying waking dreams of changing into something she didn't understand and unaware of the memories she knew that were there somewhere. It was the sensation of being sunken into her own head, or covered in the darkness that felt strangely comforting and inviting.

Aching. Oh, the aching was enough to bring her back to madness.  
Her throat was parched dry like old parchment and it ached for something but she hadn't the slightest idea what. Her stomach ached with a hunger but she couldn't bring herself to crave any food she knew; such a strange hunger feeling. Her teeth and gums ached with the same dry feeling of her throat and trying to swallow it away only made her ache more and her belly crave more of that strange hunger feeling that she knew not of what to satisfy it with.

Tired. She was so tired.  
She had been exhausted to begin with. All her ailments of madness, creeping, shooting, hands, dark and aching only made tired that much worse. But what was exhausting her was the sense of deadness and the terribly empty vastness around her. Why was she still awake? Why was she still in this strange waking dream? She should not feel that smooth fabric underneath her, or the muscles in her body. Somehow she knew that she too should have been asleep in that strange and eerie black vastness with everyone else. Yet there was a yearning that commanded her to go back.

It called to her again and again, keeping her awake in her waking dream and it got stronger by the second. 

_**'come**____**back.'**_

Come back to where? To get to 'there' didn't she need to know where was 'here'? 

**'it's unimportant. Come back you don't belong with them. Your not completely dead. You belong to me now.'**

Intriguing. She belonged somewhere? This vast emptiness was just so lonely. 

**'yes... Come to me. I own your soul. Its mine now. Wake up...'  
**

She felt compelled. A woman obsessed. She needed that voice. She needed to obey that command. She felt herself being pulled. Pulled to where she didn't know but the black emptiness was certainly not where she was meant to be. That dark velvety voice and the hands she loved so much owned her soul. Somehow she knew just what to do to leave the empty vastness filled with the dead sleeping things. She knew she was meant to stay by that callings side. The caller that commanded her to leave the deathly waking dreams. She didn't belong here.

_**'Yes.**____**Come**____**to**____**me.**____**You**____**belong**____**to**____**me**____**now.'**_

She was being pulled forwards and upwards from and then into her own head. She felt like her soul was flying forward into her own self, this time to stay. The tugging continued. Suddenly she could breath in again. her body made noise again. The shooting sensations and the rippling sensation slowed and stopped but she ached more than ever.  
She felt her eyes flutter.  
Oooooo0000oooooO  
I felt the need to detail the change. What happens and how.

Good news. My laptops working and i will soon be putting the chapters back on fanfiction. However there is something important i must say:

The Sopa Censorship law is a law where certain companies will have the authorized right by the government to blacklist and shut down many websites that could have even vaguely questionable content in it. Anything from, Thatguywith theglassesdotcom, Teamfourstardotcome, youtube, Newgrounds, Mangavolume, Mangafox, personal blogs, Fanfictiondotcom, Adultfanfictiondotcom, photobucket, facebook, Mozilla Firefox, Paypal, Google, Mediafire, PirateBay, Livejournal, to miniclip could be a target because it 'could' have illicit material. This law authorizes the deletion of such cites without even giving the website a chance to remove the supposed illicit material. Not only that but this is a clear and direct violation to our rights as Americans to have the freedom to read, say, do and practice what we want. This censors our media without our consent.

I beg you, I urge you... Stop this! go to americacensorship . com and vote against this clear cut violation of our constitutional rights as free thinking human beings. fanfictiondotcom has certain teenage to adult themes and the occasional questionable material that we all enjoy. The Sopa law, if passed, can shut down Fanfiction without question or investigation of the all the websites features or content! This means that anyone who loves the site, anyone who has a passion for writing will be shutdown. it will be useless. If you love fanfiction and freedom to choose, to write what you want, or even any other website, vote NO!

I'm serious about this. I think if you all voted ill work super hard and and get 2 chapters done. long ones. You guys vote and i will love you forever. it takes less than a minute to vote and protect your rights. Please! I'm just about begging here. Here's the deal, if i get 20 votes, ill write two chapters. If i get 50 votes, Ill write four chapters. If i get 100 votes i will write seven chapters all above 2500 words long before Tuesday the 22 of November. So go vote no!

-He will knock four times


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